


Nonverbal

by E_Ng714



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Male Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-31
Updated: 2015-06-08
Packaged: 2018-03-04 14:46:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3072029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E_Ng714/pseuds/E_Ng714
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After suffering damage to his hearing years ago, Hotch's hearing is fading fast. One of his team members notices and offers to help. Will a proud man such as Hotch be able to accept?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Incident

**Author's Note:**

> This references episodes 3.20 'Lo-Fi', 4.01 'Mayhem', and 4.02 'The Angel Maker' with the explosion that damaged Hotch's hearing. This takes place around season seven. As far as Beth goes...she was just his running partner.

“...Hotch!” Someone shouted his name and grabbed his shoulder at the same time. He spun around in a flash and had the person up against the wall by his neck. Dark eyes blazing, he tightened his grip; intending to crush the offender’s windpipe; until he looked into his eyes.

 

“Reid?” Hotch immediately released his hold on the young agent’s throat. Reid coughed and gasped for air.

 

“Reid, breathe!” Hotch commanded as he eased Spencer to the floor. “That’s it, head between your legs. In your nose, out your mouth…”

 

Hotch felt the floor vibrating. Someone was coming. He looked up to see Derek Morgan running towards them.

 

“Hotch! Reid! What the hell happened?” Morgan demanded.

 

Hotch’s tongue froze in his mouth. How could he tell his second in command that he had nearly killed one of their fellow agents? Or what was worse, why it happened?

 

Derek shifted his attention to Spencer, to Hotch’s relief. Spencer had caught his breath for the most part and was verbally responsive.

 

Adrenaline coursed through Hotch’s veins, so much so that he trembled. _He’s going to report you.  He’s going to tell Morgan, and then Morgan will go to Rossi, or Strauss, and then everyone will know. Everyone will know your goddamn secret. They'll make you retire, you’ll be shamed, pathetic. You’ll sit at home and do nothing until one day you eat your gun._

 

Hotch shook his head to clear his thoughts. What was he thinking?

 

Reid was now speaking. Morgan had demanded to know what the hell happened.

 

“Choked...jawbreaker...went down the wrong way…” Reid stumbled out.

 

Hotch studied the junior agent carefully. _Why would he lie? Is he trying to protect me?_

 

Derek leaned in, studying the red handmarks on Reid’s fair skin. “Are those...handmarks?” Derek demanded.

 

“Yes, its an involuntary reaction to grab your throat when you choke. The trachea-”

 

“Reid, never mind. You would launch into a full blown lecture about how you almost died,” Derek joked. Hotch flinched. “Here...up you go.” Derek helped Reid to his feet.

 

“Morgan, I’m fine. Really,” Spencer insisted.

 

“Unhn unhn. Come and sit down…” Derek walked Reid down the hall to the bullpen.

 

Hotch had remained frozen to that spot. He had made sure to turn to his left side so he could hear everything, and studied both Morgan and Reid carefully, concentrating on their lips. His SWAT training taught him to read lips.

 

Slowly, he made his way to his office after stopping by to see if Reid was ok. By the time he made it to his office he was shaking so badly that he nearly collapsed. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. He literally almost killed Reid. He felt sick to his stomach, even more so by what happened after.

 

_How could you be so selfish? When Morgan showed up you were more concerned about whether Reid would rat you out than whether he was ok. What the hell is wrong with you?_

_You know why_ , he answered himself. _Because you don’t want anyone to know. You don’t want them to think that you’re weak. Everyone looks up to you. You’re Jack’s hero. What will they say if they knew why you never close your office door anymore except for a meeting? Or that you keep your cell phone on ring and vibrate all the time? Or that you have to sleep with your cell phone on your bed so you can feel it vibrate? Or how you watch television with the closed captions on?  They’ll think you’re weak. They’ll force you out. They'll feel sorry for you._

 

Hotch continued the argument with himself. _Look at you thinking of yourself again! What about Reid? You can’t expect him to keep a secret that big. It could end his career and definitely yours._ Hotch knew what he had to do. He opened his desk and took out a form and began to write…

 

*********

 

Reid couldn’t think. They had barely left him alone since Derek had parked him at his desk. Bringing him water, rubbing his back, in his face, invading his personal space. If he had to say “I’m OK” again he would surely scream. How could he get them to back off? He began fanning the air around him.

 

“JJ! Baby Girl! Give the man some room to breathe!” Derek exclaimed. They backed up, finally giving Reid the space he needed.

 

“Guys, I’m OK. Promise. It was just a jawbreaker,” he insisted.

 

“Well...alright,” Penelope decided. “But I’ll be back to check on you,” she declared.

 

“Guys, I really need to finish the consultation.”

 

“Well alright,” Derek said. He knew they would all be watching him. Truth be told, he was already done with the consult, but he needed time to think, to process what happened.

 

_I called Hotch’s name four times and he didn’t answer, he didn’t even acknowledge. He just kept walking like he didn’t hear me. Then I touched him and…_

 

Reid knew that was a bad idea right before his hand hit Hotch’s shoulder, but it was too late to stop. Hotch had been hyper vigilant almost to the point of paranoia after Foyet’s attack. Approaching him from behind was not only foolish, but deadly.

 

But that wasn’t his main concern. When Hotch had recognized him, he saw the shock and horror in his eyes over what he had just done. The main concern was that Hotch didn’t hear him approach. After the explosion in New York, Hotch had suffered hearing damage, he couldn’t fly for six weeks after that case in Ohio. Hotch had probably ignored the doctor’s warning about not flying and taking it easy. But in time his hearing had appeared to be back to normal so Reid and assumed that the hearing loss was temporary.

 

But now that Spencer thought about it, there were signs. How Hotch seemed to favor his left side more.How he winced sometimes when he heard sirens. His phone was always on vibrate now, and he always, always held it  to his left ear, instead of his right.

 

 _What should I do?_ Spencer wondered to himself. _If I tell Morgan, he will either confront Hotch or tell Rossi. Either way, Strauss would eventually catch wind of it and they would make Hotch resign or force him to retire…_

Spencer couldn’t imagine the BAU without Hotch. Hotch had been there from the beginning. Hotch had  come to find him when Henkel tortured him. After Gideon quit Hotch was there for him. When Hotch discovered that he was hooked on dilaudid, he could have written him up. Hell, he _should_ have written him up. He had been showing up late to work, losing focus and snapping at everyone. After he deliberately missed the plane in New Orleans Hotch should have definitely suspended him, but he didn’t.

 

“Reid?”

 

“Huh?“ he looked up to see Derek standing over him. “What?”

 

“You’ve been staring off into space for almost ten minutes, Pretty Boy.  You haven’t even looked at that consultation, let alone finished it.”

 

He was about to reply but Hotch saved him from another lie.

 

“Reid.”

 

Spencer looked up. “Yes?”

 

“May I see you in my office?”

 

Reid headed up the stairs and followed Hotch into his office.

 

“Close the door please.” Reid complied.

 

“Hotch-”

 

“Reid-”

 

“Hotch, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I shouldn’t have grabbed your-”

 

Hotch held up his hand. “Reid, you have nothing to be sorry about. This whole thing was my fault. I apologize for….for...attacking you…” Hotch managed to choke out the last words.

 

“Hotch, I’m fine. But clearly you are not.”

 

Hotch glared at his junior agent. Normally, that stare would melt anyone, especially Reid, into a puddle of humility on the floor. But Reid didn’t even blink.

 

“Hotch, I called your name four times and you didn’t-”

 

“Stop,” Hotch warned. He couldn’t let Reid say it. As long as no one spoke about it; he could deny it.

 

“Hotch,” Reid began again.

 

“Read over this report,” Hotch ordered, sliding the report across the table.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“An incident report. This is my interpretation of what happened. You can fill out one and turn them both into Strauss-”

 

“No!” Reid exclaimed loudly. “Hotch, I’m not turning in some report to Strauss. Can we please talk about this?”

 

“No, we can’t.”

 

“Hotch, this isn’t going to go away.”

 

“Reid,” Hotch growled in warning. “This not up for discussion. Turn in the report; that’s an order.”

 

“No, I will not turn in this report. Besides, it is dishonest.”

 

“What?”  Hotch hissed..

 

“You heard me Hotch. You said that you did not hear me because you were on a phone call and distracted. We both know that’s not true. I cannot in good conscience put my name to this report.” Reid walked over to Hotch’s paper shredder and slipped the paper in and watched the machine turn the report into confetti. Hotch just stared at him in shock.

 

Hotch’s mind was in a whirlwind to keep up the the myriad of emotions. Anger, shock, a tiny bit of admiration and deep down; deep, deep down, relief. They both knew if he turned in that turning in that report would be the magic bullet Strauss needed to end his career.

 

“Reid, I’ll have you know that I will not tolerate insubordination. It will not happen again,” Hotch growled in his most intimidating tone.

 

“Sir, if you wish to write me up for insubordination then do so. But I will not cooperate with an investigation into what happened in the corridor.”

 

Hotch stared at Reid. His jaw was set. His nostrils were flared; and his eyes were hard and could only be described as determined. Hotch had rarely lost an argument. Being a lawyer, unit chief and hostage negotiator had saw to that. The only arguments he couldn’t seem to win were against Haley, and Strauss. With that being said he knew that he had lost this one.

 

Tap. Tap. Tap. “Hotch?” Hotch had taken his cue from Spencer. He couldn’t exactly hear the knock, it was too soft. But when Spencer looked back towards the door he knew someone had knocked.

 

“Come in,” he called.

 

JJ entered. “We have a case.”

 

“Thank you. We’ll be right there.”

 

Spencer turned to leave.

 

“Reid?”

 

Spencer spun around.

 

“This conversation does not leave this office. Understood?”

 

“Understood,” Reid acknowledged before leaving the office.

 

That gave Hotch some satisfaction.


	2. The Case

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer has Hotch on his mind and cannot focus on the case.

The case took them to Shreveport, Louisiana. Four male students at LSU-Shreveport had gone missing over the last month. They had been found at various landfills, badly beaten and sexually assaulted with some sort of blunt, wooden objects.

 

The trouble started when they landed. The SPD lieutenant assigned to be the point with the BAU clearly disdained of their their lifestyle. It appeared that the students were gay. They were all last seen at a gay club near campus.

 

Reid scanned the coroners report. “Looks like they were assaulted with a wooden broomstick. The ME found wooden splinters and flecks of red paint in Trevor Frierson’s body,”  Reid concluded.

 

“Then it was most likely a hate crime,” Morgan concluded. 

 

Reid had a map of Shreveport tacked up on a bulletin board provided. The police lieutenant leaned over his shoulder. “What are you doing?”

 

“It’s called a geographic profile. The blue pins represent where the victims lived. The green pins represent where they were abducted. The white pins represent where their bodies were found.”

 

Reid picked up a highlighter. “As you can see, the Unsub’s operating zone is a all within a five mile radius of the abductions sight.”

 

“Hmmm…” the lieutenant rubbed his chin. “Shouldn’t these pins be red?” He asked, pointing to the green pins. “And these shouldn’t be white. White represents purity. They should be black.”

 

“Oh boy,” on of the officers muttered. “There he goes again.”

 

“Excuse me?” Derek snapped, glaring at the Lieutenant.

 

“Oh, no offense Agent Morgan,” the Lieutenant. “Red represents the den of sin that those boys were frequenting. And black represents their soul, which will be blackened when they burn in hell for their sins.”

 

“Richard,” one of the sergeants warned.

 

Spencer spun around. “What does where they chose to socialize have to do with them ‘burning in hell’ as you so elegantly put it?” he demanded.

 

“That place is Sodom reborn. One can only expect these kind of things to happen,” the Lieutenant answered.

 

“So what you’re saying,” Reid hissed. “Is that because they visited a nightclub and socialized with other men they deserved to be abducted, beaten, and raped with a broom handle?” 

 

The lieutenant held up his hands. “Easy there son. I’m just saying that if you open yourself up to that type of lifestyle then your are exposing yourself to that type of risk.”

 

“Oh really,” Reid countered, his face flushed with anger. “So this is how you operate here?” Reid had raised his voice, addressing the entire station. “Passing judgement on victims because you don’t approve of their ‘lifestyle’?”

 

“Look son-”

 

“Don’t call me that! I am  not  your son, thank goodness!” Reid snapped.

 

“Reid! Enough!” Morgan ushered Spencer outside among the shocked police officers. As they left, they saw Hotch exit the captain's office and demand what was going on.

 

*********************

“What is going on out here?” Hotch demanded.

 

“Uh Hotch,” Prentiss began. “Reid-”

 

“I spoke my mind and told the truth and your boy couldn’t handle it,” the Lieutenant interjected.

 

Hotch narrowed his eyes. “First of all, Dr. Reid is a  grown man , and not a boy. You will address him as Dr. Reid and nothing else. And what is this  truth you’re talking about?”

 

“Richard, what did you say?” The captain demanded.

 

“I just told him that those boys opened themselves up to these attacks with their lifestyles and hanging around that den of sin-”

 

“Richard, we are not going there again. I warned you against such talk. You just can’t seem to keep your mouth shut can you?” The captain demanded in a voice that told Hotch, Rossi, and Prentiss that he had had this conversation before.

 

“Look Mike, we all know it’s true-”

 

“That’s  captain to you. My office. Now.” The captain spun on his heel and stalked to his office. The lieutenant took his time, strolling at a leisurely pace.

 

When the office closed, the BAU agents turned to the sergeant. “What’s his deal?” Asked Prentiss.

 

“Richard is what we call ‘Old South’,” the sergeant explained.

 

“‘Old South’?” Prentiss asked.

 

“A nice way of classifying many of the southern families along the Bible Belt,” Hotch explained. “White, conservative, and evangelical to the extreme. Racist, sexist, and extremely homophobic. Many of them still have ties to the Klan.”

 

“How do you know that?” The sergeant asked. 

 

“My family is from Virginia,” Hotch answered. The sergeant nodded.

 

“Sufficed to say, Richards reactionary views have landed him in the hot seat many times, and do not represent the views of the Shreveport Police Department.”

 

“Why hasn’t he been fired?” Rossi asked.

 

“Because his brother in law is the chair of the City Council. Otherwise he would have been ousted a long time ago.”

 

“I see,” Rossi answered, stroking his chin. 

 

***********

Meanwhile, outside Reid was fuming, and Morgan was having a hard time calming him down.

 

“Hey kid, calm down! What’s got you all bent out of shape?”

 

“Didn’t you hear what that guy said?” Reid demanded, glaring at Derek before he started pacing again.

 

“C’mon Reid. That can’t be it. We deal with Jerks like that all the time!”

Reid thought on this. Morgan was right. Why had he let that bigot get to him? Yes, he was gay but no one other than Rossi knew about it. He’d dealt with homophobes before, and usually just ignored him. But he was distracted. He was worried about Hotch. He wanted to get this case over with and get back to Quantico so he could talk to Hotch about what had happened earlier. 

 

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”

 

“Are you going to be able to keep it together, Pretty Boy?”

 

“Yes, Morgan, I won’t blow my top again.”

 

The door opened and Prentiss popped her head out.  “Guys, were ready to give a profile.”

 

Hotch started off.  “We’re looking for a white male between the ages of twenty five and thirty five. Tall, well over six feet and well built. He beat these men with his bare hands.”

 

“He doesn’t attend LSU now but he may have in the past. Could have been an ex-football player or something or wrestler,” Rossi added.

 

“He’s confused about his sexual identity. He’s been with men in the past but he feels dirty and guilty about it. The raping with the broomstick is a manifestation of his self hatred,” Prentiss added.

 

“He’s picking up men from the club  Sylvesters’s  near campus,” Reid spoke up. “He may be slipping something in their drinks, but its impossible to tell because date rape drugs metabolize too quickly to be picked up on most Toxicology testing.”

 

“So he roofies them then carries them off?” An officer asked.

 

“That’s the current theory. Once the drug is administered  it makes the client easier to manipulate, as seen with date rapes,” Reid answered.

 

“Captain?” an officer interrupted. “We have another body.”

 

“Bring me the file,” the captain ordered.

 

The officer hesitated. “What is it Samuels?” The captain asked.

 

“Sir, uh, we need to talk in your office.”

 

The captain left the conference room, followed by Hotch.

 

In the captain’s office, the officer eyed Hotch with hesitation.

“Look, we’re here to aid in this investigation,” Hotch said. “In order to do that we have to have  all  of the information.”

 

“Go ahead Samuels,” the captain encouraged. The officer took a deep breath and pulled out the picture.

 

The captain gasped. “Oh, no.”

 

“You know him?” Hotch asked, 

 

“Yes, that’s the head city councilman’s son.”

 

“And the Lieutenant’s nephew,” Hotch finished.

 

“Exactly.”

 

The captain opened the door.  “Lieutenant.” Richard looked up, he was still smarting with contempt from being chastised by his boss in front of the FBI.

 

“I need to see you.”

 

Richards stepped in the office. “What is it?”

 

The officer left, closing the door on his way out.

 

“What do you want?” The Lt glared at Hotch.

 

“He stays,” the captain stipulated. “Richard, when was the last time you spoke to your nephew?”

 

“Who Joshua? This past Sunday at dinner, after church. Why?”

 

“Richard, I’m sorry but his body was found in a dumpster outside of the cafeteria on campus.”

 

“What are you talking about? No, no way.”

 

“Richard, it’s him,” the captain said, showing him the picture. The Lt. snatched the picture and ripped it into shreds. 

 

“This is a setup,” he choked out.

 

“Lt, it’s no setup,” Hotch said softly. “His body was found-”

 

“Shut up!” “Richard yelled. “This is a setup! My nephew is not a fucking fag!!!” He flung open the door and stalked out, leaving everyone staring at him, then all eyes looked expectantly at Hotch and the captain.

 

“You handle your team, I’ll handle mine,” the captain decided. 

 

*****************

 

“What’s going on Hotch?” Morgan asked.

 

“The Lieutenant’s nephew is the fifth body,” Aaron revealed.

 

“And he’s also the son of the chair of the city council. Evidently, they share the same views.”

 

“That’s why he stormed out like that,” Prentiss said. 

 

“Exactly. Reid, Morgan go pay a visit to the club. Rossi and Prentiss with me to the crime scene,” Hotch decided.

 

As soon as Reid and Morgan walked into the club all eyes were on them, especially Reid. With his slender frame, light brown eyes, and pouty pink lips; he was absolutely dripping with sex appeal.  Every man in the club wanted to send him a drink. His badge and gun only added to the allure.

 

“Please, no drinks,” Reid insisted. “I can’t drink while on duty.”

 

“Call me when you get off,” a man offered, handing him a slip of paper with his number on it. Reid stuffed it in his pocket along with the six other numbers offered to him.

 

“Excuse me. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” Reid asked the bartender.

 

“Anything for you,” the bartender cooed. 

 

“Do you know this man?” Reid asked showing him a picture of the Lieutenant’s nephew.

 

“Yeah, sure. That’s Josh. He’s in here every night he can get away from his girlfriend and his overbearing family.”

 

“He has a girlfriend?” Reid asked, surprised.

 

“A lot of them men that come here have girlfriends or fiancees. Some are married. We don’t judge here. Everyone comes to be themselves and have a good time,” the bartender answered. 

 

“When is the last time you saw him?”

 

“Last night.”

 

“Do you remember if he was with anyone?”

 

“Yeah. New guy to the club. Only been in here about a month or so. Big guy, used to play football for LSU.”

 

“Do me a favor. The next time you see him, call me.” Spencer pulled out his card. “It’s also very important that you watch who he drinks with. We think he is drugging them men and abducting them.”

 

The Bartender's eyes grew wide. “You mean...that’s the guy who is beating and raping men who come here?”

 

“It could be. We definitely  need to talk to him though.”

 

The bartender read the card. “Dr. Spencer Reid? What kind of doctor are you? I haven't been feeling well lately. You think you could...examine me?” The bartender flirted.

 

“Uh, well, I’m not that kind of doctor,” Spencer blushed.

 

“Well, I’ll trust you to examine me anyway. I’ll be sure to call you if I see that guy tonight.”

 

“Thanks. What’s your name?” Spencer asked.

 

“Barrington. Barry or BJ for short.”

 

“Thank you Barry.”

 

“No, thank  you  Dr. Reid,” Barry said and gave Spencer a look that forced him to look away again, his face flushed. 

 

************

Back at the station, they met up to compare notes.

 

“Did your visit to the club yield anything useful?” Rossi asked Morgan and Reid.

 

“Actually yes,” Reid said. “Joshua Montague was a regular there. He left last night with the unsub. Apparently the unsub has been frequenting the club for the last month and leaves with a different guy every time. Also Joshua Montague has a girlfriend, she may have even been his fiancee.”

 

“You got all that info?” Prentiss asked, surprised.

 

“Yeah, he also got about eight phone numbers," Morgan added. 

 

“Eleven,” Spencer corrected. “ And the bartender was very helpful.”

 

Hotch studied Reid carefully, narrowing his eyes but saying nothing. He knew that Reid would be a hit at the gay club, his shy, boyish good looks got him more come-ons than Morgan. Reid  just took it all in stride. Hotch was used to it, but why was he so irritated about it today? Must have been their conversation earlier at the BAU.

 

“I’ll bet he was,” Rossi said, grinning. “Montague’s parents are here. I’ll find out who the-”

 

“I’ll do it,” Hotch spoke up.

 

“Sure, no problem Hotch. May I ask why?”

 

“The Montagues are an Old South family. They won’t deal with with you,  being Italian American or Morgan who is black. Since I’m a white male  from Virginia, they may feel that they can relate to me.”

 

Rossi stroked his chin, seeing the logic in it. “Knock yourself out.”

 

Hotch sat down with the family. “Good evening. I am Supervisory Special Agent Aaron, Unit Chief of the BAU," Aaron greeted, using his full title for effect. 

 

“Are you the man in charge?” the man demanded.

 

“I am,” Aaron confirmed. 

 

“Good, I don’t want these so called ‘police officers’ handling this. A bunch of numbnuts is what they are. Oh, where are my manners? I’m James Montague, Chair of the Shreveport City Council. This is my wife, Barbara.”

 

“Where are you from, Mister Hotchner?” Barbara asked.

 

“Manassas, Virginia ma’am.”

 

“Good. I assume you were brought up in a proper Christian Home?”

 

“Yes ma’am. Presbyterian.”

 

“Good, good,” Barbara nodded her approval.

 

“Now what this my ingrate brother in law tells me that you think my son was in some queer club?” James demanded.

 

“Sir, we found his body on the campus of LSU. We questioned patrons and employees of the club and they told my agents that Joshua was there on a regular-”

 

“I don’t care what some  fag told you! My son was no sissy. He’s getting married in three months to a pretty girl from a nice Christian family!”

 

“Um honey?” Barbara spoke up.

 

“What is it? You know not to interrupt two men talking!” he snapped. Hotch rolled his eyes inwardly.

 

Barbara flushed. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Go ahead, Mrs. Montague,” Hotch prompted.

 

“Alright what is it?” James demanded.

 

“Mary Catherine and Josh broke it off a few weeks ago.”

 

“What! Why the hell didn’t you tell me?” James demanded.

 

“Because, he wanted to tell you himself.”

 

**********

The case escalated quickly. Reid’s contact at the club called him that night when the UnSub showed up. The FBI and Shreveport PD swarmed in, but the 6’4” 275 former defensive tackle was determined to make a last stand. He took a hostage and threatened to ‘snap his sissy neck like a toothpick’; but he was no match for Hotch’s superior marksmanship.  

 

On the plane, Hotch excused himself to the lavatory. He could feel the warm trickle in his ears. They were bleeding. Again.  The rising panic and fear bubbled up again. He knew he couldn’t go to his regular doctor, she would eventually have to report  his condition. And he was scared of the results. He KNEW what they would say; and what they would mean.

 

Reid studied Hotch carefully as he walked quickly to the lavatory, holding his right ear.  It was hurting again. Reid figured it would be when Hotch had to fire on the unsub who was determined not to go down without a fight. He saw Hotch wince in pain and offered to drive back to the police station, which Hotch accepted.

 

Hotch made his way back to his seat. This flight was really irritating his ears. He couldn’t wait to get home and have a good night’s sleep. He’d put some ear drops in and his ear plugs so he wouldn’t bleed on the pillow…

 

“Hotch?”

 

Hotch looked up. “What is it Reid?” 

 

“I was wondering if I could take a personal day tomorrow? I have some...business to take care of. I’ll come in if we have a case.”

 

“That’s fine. Just let Garcia know.”

 

“Thank you sir.”

  
Hotch wondered what the young genius was up to. He had a sneaky suspicion that it involved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did this chapter seem off topic? Sorry about that. Next: Spencer does what he does best: research!


	3. Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Determined to help Hotch, Spencer does what he does best: Research.

Spencer awoke early the next day, normally choosing to sleep in on his days off. But he had important business to attend to.

 

His first trip was to the library. He browsed the journals until he found what he was looking for. He checked articles from the Journal of American Audiology and the International Journal of Audiology.  He saw at least eight studies in each journal that he thought might help with Hotch’s condition. Also, he wanted to do research on the NIH institution, specifically the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders. For that he knew he needed a better computer, or a laptop, or tablet. His computer was old, and if he wanted to research in bed or on the go he needed something else.

 

He went to BestBuy and looked over the tablets. He ended up purchasing a Samsung Galaxy tab that came with a micro SD slot for more storage. It was an expensive purchase, but he rarely bought things for himself so he could afford to splurge.

 

He went to his favorite cafe to read and research. He found so much information on a topic he knew so little about, but was fascinating. By the time the cafe closed, Spencer had read over 40 articles and case study.

 

He grabbed some takeout and went home, so absorbed in reading that he stayed up until 3 AM. The tablet was so much faster, why had he refused to update to modern technology sooner was beyond him. He would definitely be asking Garcia for his.

 

The team met for their weekly briefing that next morning and Garcia squealed with delight when Reid asked her if she still had a tablet for him.

 

“Welcome to the twenty-first century Dr. Genius!” She exclaimed.

 

“So, what prompted this, Dr. Old School?” Derek teased. Reid shrugged.

 

Morgan narrowed his eyes at the young doctor. “You're up to something,” he concluded.

 

Reid let out an exaggerated sigh. “If you say so.”

 

“Can we get started now?” Hotch interjected. Derek gave Spencer the _this isn’t over_ look.

 

The meeting was long and tedious. Spencer found his mind wandering on more than one occasion, to the journals and research studies that he had been reading.

 

The team had so many back to back cases that they hadn’t met in over a month. Meetings were typically on the first and third Fridays. They ordered in for lunch. Hotch seem oblivious to the moans and groans from the team. They had to get the work done, and there was no telling when they would have another chance. When it came time for Spencer to give his report, he wasn’t ready.

 

“Reid?” Hotch prompted.

 

“Huh? Oh, sorry Hotch. Can we come back to me?”

 

Hotch simply furrowed his eyebrow and moved on to Rossi.

 

When it was Reid’s turn, everyone was surprised when his report lasted only 10 minutes, the shortest out of all of them. Normally, Reid would ramble off on tangents and statistics for almost an hour before Hotch interrupted and told him to get to the point.

 

“That’s it?” Morgan asked, eyeing Reid.

 

“That’s it,” Reid confirmed.

 

“Ok, who the hell are you and what have you done with Dr. Spencer Reid?” Derek demanded playfully.

 

“Well if that’s all you all can take off for the day,” Hotch concluded. “ See you Monday.”

 

“Hey Hotch, hows Jack?” JJ asked.

 

“He’s fine, visiting his grandparents. I’m heading out early to pick him up tomorrow. I promised to take him fishing.”

 

“Oh! That should be fun!”

 

Spencer swallowed nervously as he stood outside of Hotch’s door and rang the buzzer.  Hotch guarded his private life fiercely, and Spencer knew he was going to be pissed with Reid for coming by unannounced, and especially what Reid wanted to talk about.

 

Hotch wasn’t expecting company, so he was surprised when his buzzer rang just as he was pouring his nightcap. He had been puzzling Reid’s odd behavior as of late, and couldn’t help wondering if it had something to do with him.

 

Hotch looked through the peephole. _Reid? What the hell?_

 

“Reid? Did something happen?” Hotch asked as he led Reid in.

 

“No, not really,” Reid  answered.

 

“Then why are you here?” Hotch demanded.

 

“Hotch, we both know why I’m here.”

 

Aaron brought himself up to his full height and fixed Reid in his most intimidating glare. “I thought I told you to never bring that up again,” he growled. “You are out of line, Reid. This is none of your business.”

 

“Actually Hotch, you are my boss, colleague, and someone I consider to be a friend. So your overall health and well being is my business,” Reid countered.

 

Hotch stepped back. Where was this new bold Reid coming from?

 

“Look Hotch, we both know what’s going on. I’ve been reading some medical journals and…” Reid trailed off, reaching into his messenger bag and pulling out a tablet, not the BAU standard issue either. This was a brand new Galaxy tab.

 

“Look Hotch, I’m not trying to pry. But you and I both know this is going to get worse. You need to see a doctor…”

 

“Absolutely not,” Hotch cut in. “If I go to a doctor they will report it to the bureau and then I’m done.”

 

“Hotch please. I’ve been doing research, and West Virginia has a confidentiality clause that precludes any governmental regulations-”

 

“Reid,” Hotch growled. “Why can’t you just drop this?”

 

“Because Hotch, I care about you. And I know you care about the team. If something happened due to your hearing, you would never be able to forgive yourself.”

 

Reid was right. If someone was hurt because of his pride, he would probably die from the guilt.

 

“Reid,” Hotch’s voice came out in a whisper. “I...I can’t. You don’t understand-”

 

“Yes Hotch, I do understand. My mother is a schizophrenic. My biggest fear is having a psychotic break and ending up institutionalized. My migraines had a psychological component. I didn’t want to believe it, I fought it for a year. But…” he stopped and took a deep breath.

 

“I’ve been taking Clorazil for almost six months, my migraines had been accompanied by hallucinations. It’s mostly for preventative measures, but it helps me. I have read thousands of studies that say if I am not showing any symptoms by now I probably won’t, but it still scares me.”

 

“Is that why you collapsed a few months ago?” Hotch asked. he had freaked out when that had happened in Oklahoma City on a case. He had insisted that Reid go to a hospital and stayed with him, despite the urgency of the case. The doctors diagnosed him with acute hypoglycemia and gave him some glucose tabs to keep on hand if the symptoms returned.

 

“Yes. Most drugs used to treat schizophrenia cause acute hypoglycemia. I didn’t tell  you because I knew you would insist on a psych eval and I was afraid of the results.”

 

Hotch nodded. “I see.” Reid could tell that Hotch was struggling with himself. He hoped by sharing his story that he would come to the right decision.

 

“Reid, I’m...I...I…” Hotch’s hands were shaking so bad that Reid clasped them in his.

 

“Hotch, I’ll go with you. I’ll research audiologists in West Virginia. And I promise that I won’t tell anyone about this. _Ever_. I’m only here to offer support in any way I can.”

 

Hotch felt a relief that he hadn’t felt in years. Finally, someone understood, he didn’t have to hide or put up a front for Reid.

 

“Look, Hotch I wrote down some article titles and journals that you might want to take a look at. I’m going to leave now, I know you are taking Jack fishing tomorrow. So I’ll go.”

 

Reid stood, and Hotch stood as well and walked him the door. Before Reid opened to door, Hotch did something that truly surprised him. Hotch gathered him in a tight hug, something that he hadn’t done since he had rescued him from Henkel.

 

“Good night Reid, and thank you.”

“Good night Hotch.”

 

On Monday, Reid came to Hotch’s office.  “Hotch, I’ve researched and reviewed many audiologists in the area. I think our best bet will be Dr. Peter Steiner in Parkersburg. He has worked with a lot of veterans and firefighters who have hearing damage.”

 

Hotch nodded. “I see.”

 

“Would you like me to make an appointment?”

 

Hotch nodded again.  “Yes.”

 

“Ok, do you have a preference for a day?”

 

“Friday is best.”

 

“What if we catch a case?”

 

“I will take some comp time and let Morgan handle it. But Spencer, I...I need you to come with me.”

 

“Of course Hotch.”

 

At the end of the day, Reid returned to Hotch’s office.

 

“Hotch, I’ve made you an appointment for this Friday at two pm. Its takes hours and twenty two minutes to get there so if we leave by seven that should give up plenty of time.”

 

“That sounds good. “

 

Reid handed him a folder. “This is the new patient information, along with a questionnaire. It is recommended that you fill it out and bring it to the appointment to save time.”

 

“Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad you are enjoying this story! Continue to read, comment and send kudos. Next up, Reid and Hotch travel to the doctor, and grow a little closer. And BestBuy is my favorite electronics store.


	4. "Not a Date"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer and Aaron visit the doctor and inadvertently make a 'date' for that evening.

That Friday Reid arrived at Hotch’s place an hour early. Reid was going to drive Hotch in his car, but Hotch surprised him by letting Reid drive his SUV.

 

“Reminds me of a bureau SUV, which I don’t drive very often,” Reid joked.

 

Hotch smiled. “Purely by accident. You’re an excellent navigator and are usually working on something en route.”

 

“True,” Reid agreed.

 

Hotch was visibly nervous. Reid relaxed him by rambling about everything except his hearing issues. Hotch visibly relaxed, soothed by Reid’s banter.

 

“And that’s why petty theft is an indicator of.... I’m so sorry Hotch, I’ll shut up now.”

 

“No Reid, it’s fine. Actually, I’m a bit nervous and you are helping me relax,” Hotch admitted.

 

“That was my intention. I’m glad I succeeding. Have you read the article on gambling addiction and sexual dysfunction?”

 

“I was going to get to that one tomorrow,” Hotch deadpanned.

 

Reid smiled. “And who says you don’t have a sense of humor? So the authors suggest that…”

 

An hour later, the decided to stop for breakfast. Hotch wanted to eat at a chain restaurant, but Reid wanted to try a diner he had read about.

 

“So I was researching good places to eat in West Virginia and I came across this place called the _Bake Shoppe of Beckley_ -”

 

“Spencer, you and that sweet tooth. It’s a wonder you still have all your teeth.”

 

“My dentist is a very rich man,” Reid joked. “But Aaron...sorry, Hotch...they sell sandwiches and soups too.”

 

Aaron smiled at Spencer calling him by his first name. He had never done so before. Aaron liked it.

“Alright, we’ll try it. And call me Aaron. We’re not Hotch and Reid today, we’re Aaron and Spencer.”

 

“Well, um OK.”

 

The _Bake Shoppe of Beckley_ was a cozy establishment with a homey atmosphere. Reid ordered the blueberry pancakes and added a mound of syrup. Hotch ordered the fried green tomato panini with bacon and eggs. They ordered a pot of coffee.

 

“Fried green tomatoes. Hmmmm….” Reid mused.

 

“Yes, I’ve always wanted to try them ever since I saw the movie.”

 

“There’s a movie called _Fried Green Tomatoes_?” Reid asked,  incredulous.

 

“Yes, it’s a southern movie, in the same category with _Steel Magnolias_. More for women, but most men have been made to watch by their wives. I know I was,” Hotch said lost in nostalgia for a moment.

 

“Did you enjoy them?” Spencer asked.

 

“Yes. Even more than Haley,” Hotch confessed. “I even cried at the end of _Steel Magnolias_ , it was sad and if you ever tell anyone that I will fire you Spencer Reid,” Aaron threatened playfully.

 

Reid made the zipping motion over his lips. “I’ve never seen either one.”

 

“Well…”Spencer could tell Aaron was debating with himself.  “Jack is visiting his aunt this weekend so if you wanted to come over and watch...I still have the DVD’s to both of them…” Hotch trailed off. Had he just asked his subordinate on a date? No, just over to watch a movie, that’s all.

 

“Well, OK, I’d love to. I’ve never seen a ‘southern classic’ before. Should be interesting. Should I bring drinks?”

 

“Well the traditional Southern drink is sweet iced tea, but Pepsi is also acceptable.”

 

“Pepsi, not Coke?”

 

“Pepsi originated in the Carolinas. Another Southern tradition.”

 

“I see.”

 

They finished their meal and got back on the road. “We should be in Parkersburg in fifty-two minutes.”

 

Hotch began to get nervous again and Reid’s rambling didn’t do much to calm him down. He tuned Reid out, concentrating on what he thought might happen today at the doctor’s appointment. He was lost in his own thoughts and he jumped slightly when he felt Reid’s hand on his knee.

 

“Aaron, it’s going to be ok,” Spencer soothed. Now Aaron knew why Reid was so good with children. He had a soothing nature about him.

 

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Aaron was second guessing his decision to eat. His stomach was doing flip flops, and he was sure that the delicious fried green tomato panini would be making a return visit.  Spencer kept his hand on Aaron’s knee.

 

In the doctor’s office, they only had to  wait a few minutes, long enough for Spencer to read every brochure of hearing aids that they had.

 

Dr. Steiner was an elderly man who wore a bow tie and crisp striped shirt under his starched white lab coat. He had an easy manner about him. Aaron found himself able to relax some.

 

“You must me Mr. Hotchner,” the doctor extended his hand to Aaron. “And you must be Dr. Reid. I have enjoyed your correspondence. You are very knowledgeable on the topic of audiology.”

 

“I read a lot,” Spencer answered.

 

“Well Mr. Hotchner, let’s get started. The doctor scanned the medical forms. Can you describe the event that led to your ear trauma?”

 

Aaron began his story of the events in New York, describing the symptoms afterward. He was honest about not following his doctor’s advice initially and flying and the Angel Maker case.

 

“Dr. Reid, have you noticed any changes that Mr. Hotchner may have overlooked?” When he saw the look of Aaron’s face he was quick to reassure him. “Losing hearing causes us to adjust, Mr. Hotchner. There may be things you are doing that you don’t even realize, so that you can continue your normal life. Your partner can fill in some things that you may not even realize you’re doing.”

 

“My partner..oh, um, we’re not…” Spencer began.

 

“Oh, I apologize,” the doctor said.

 

“It’s fine,” Aaron piped in. “Spencer, do you have anything to add?”

 

“I do,” Spencer took out a small notebook and handed it to the doctor.

 

“This is very useful,” the doctor said. “May I make a copy of this?”

 

Spencer nodded.

 

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back.”

 

Aaron turned to Spencer with his dark eyebrow arched.

 

“Sorry Aaron, I...I just started writing down my observations and-”

 

“Spencer, it’s fine. You are just being yourself. I'm glad you’re looking out for me.”

 

“Aaron-”

 

The doctor returned. “My nurse is making copies. Since today is your initial visit, it will be about gathering information. I will do a physical examination of your ears, and then we will take images of your internal ears with a CT scan and you will undergo a series of tests. In two weeks time we will meet to discuss the results and go over a treatment plan. How does that sound?”

 

“Fine,” Aaron answered.

 

The tests took several hours. After the physical examination, which involved the doctor looking in Aaron’s ears, no unlike a regular doctor’s visit with a lot more poking and prodding they moved into the next phase. The CT scan didn’t take long. He had had them before, being an FBI agent.

 

The actual hearing tests were different. They used everything from tuning forks to bells, to the traditional series of beeps that had you raise your hand. They had the testers stand at certain distances and speak statements to him and he had to repeat what they said. He had to do those tests blindfolded because of his lip reading abilities. After he was done, he spoke to Dr. Steiner again and made a follow up appointment for two weeks.

 

“Mr. Hotchner, it says here that if we are unable to reach you we are to leave a message with Dr. Spencer Reid, is that correct?”

 

“That is correct.”

Spencer was surprised. Accompanying Aaron to the doctor was one thing, but being allowed to speak to the doctor on his behalf was another. That showed a level of trust that Spencer was unfamiliar with. It gave him a rush of emotions that he wasn’t prepared to deal with.

 

Aaron observed Spencer’s reaction. He knew that Spencer would be surprised, and he also knew that he was making the right decision. No one else could know; Spencer was the only one he trusted.

 

On the way back, Aaron was visibly more relaxed. He had taken the first step to recognizing his medical problem and got help. They stopped by _The Bake Shoppe_ for lunch and were back at Aaron’s home by early that evening.

 

Aaron checked his watch. “How about I get the food and you bring the drinks? Let’s meet back here in two hours.”

 

Spencer hurried home, showered and changed into charcoal colored jeans and a purple button down with soft charcoal T-Shirt underneath. He chose one charcoal sock and one purple sock, with all black Converses. He stopped by a specialty store in his neighborhood and brought a half gallon of brewed sweet tea and a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi. He was looking forward to his date with Aaron...no it wasn’t a date they were just having dinner and watching a movie...but that is what you did on dates right?

 

Aaron took his time choosing an outfit for the evening. Almost as if he were preparing for a date, but he wasn’t,  was he? He decided on his favorite blue jeans and a russet colored polo shirt. He then picked up a ‘Chicken and fix’n Special’ from _Moseberth’s Fried Chicken_. They had great food, and he and Jack would eat there sometimes.

 

**********

 

“Spencer, you are right on time,” Aaron greeted and moved aside to let Spencer end. Spencer felt Aaron’s eyes lingering on him as he approached the table to place his drinks on it. Aaron had dressed left today, and looked very good in his jeans and polo shirt. It was unusual to see him outside of his finely tailored suits.

 

Aaron studied Spencer in his outfit. He had never seen the genius doctor in jeans before, and the way they hugged his slender frame could only be described as…

 

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. _Inappropriate_ , he chided himself. _Spencer is not only a colleague, but a subordinate, and a man. He’s just here to relax and watch a movie this weekend. But the way his damp hair waves up is so…_

 

“Aaron?”

 

“Sorry Spencer. Ready to eat your first proper Southern meal?”

 

They dined on fried chicken, mashed, potatoes, green beans and buttered biscuits. Spencer had a surprising appetite to be so thin.

 

“I hope you like the tea, Aaron. I got it at a market around the corner from my house.”

 

Aaron sipped the golden beverage. “This taste wonderful Spencer. Sweetened just right. Ready for the special feature?”

 

“Looking forward to it.”

 

Spencer did enjoy the movie. They debated various points of the movie, such as historical significance of The Klan and the likelihood of both Buddy Threadgoode and his namesake being hit by trains. But what puzzled Spencer most was Idgie’s identity.

 

“So was Ninny Threadgoode Idgie or not?” Spencer wanted to know at the end of the movie.

 

“What do you think?” Aaron asked Spencer.

 

“I don’t know!” Spencer cried out half frustrated, half amused. “It seems that way with the fresh honey and the note at Ruth’s grave but I just can’t figure it out…”

 

Aaron chuckled. “One of life’s great mysteries.”

 

“So tomorrow night we watch _Steel Magnolias_ ; the movie that made SAC Aaron Hotchner break down in tears,” Spencer teased.

 

Aaron fixed Spencer in a playful glare. “I see right now I’m going to have to fire you.”

 

They drifted to sleep watching a _Star Trek: The Next Generation_ marathon on the couch. Aaron with his feet propped up on the coffee table and Spencer curled up beside him with his head on Aaron's shoulder. Aaron wrapped his hand around Spencer and pulled him closer. They slept on the couch in that position all night.

 

The next morning when they awoke neither man was embarrassed about what had transpired that night. They had breakfast together, and discussed the movie they would be watching that evening over coffee. Spencer was about to leave to run some errands and change clothes when Aaron received a call from J.J. They had a case. Their movie date night would have to wait.

 

Both men were equally disappointed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a Southern Girl, born in GA, raised in NC. So I know what I'm talking about. Everyone woman who calls herself a Southern woman has seen Friend Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias. And yes, I cried at the end of Steel Magnolias. The first movie I cried on. And yes, fried chicken and Sweet Iced tea are also Southern Staples, along with Peach pie, although I prefer apple and sweet potato. Also: Restaurants mentioned actually exist. And things at the doctor have been researched. The scientist in me is coming out. I love research. Net up: Steel Magnolias and back to the doctor.  
> P.S. My old college roommates and I debate over whether Ninny Threadgoode was really Idgie. (I think she is)


	5. The Verdict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Spencer grow closer. They visit the doctor for news. Slight Spoilers for episode 7.19 'Heathridge Manor'.

The case took them to Oregon, investigating a case of strange ritualistic murders which turned out to be committed by an Unsub and his sister whom were suffering from the delusion _Folie a Duex_ , which led to the deaths of three women and the near death of his sister in his own twisted version of the Salem Witchcraft trials.

 

On the jet to and from the case they kept sneaking looks at each other. Their eyes met a few times and a secret smile passed between them. Rossi noticed but chose to keep quiet on the matter.

 

“So pretty boy, what did you get up to on your day off?” Morgan asked Spencer on the way back to Quantico.

 

“Had a lot of business to take care of, along with a doctor’s appointment. And that evening I watched a movie  I hadn’t seen before.”

 

“Oh yeah? What was it?”

 

"Fried Green Tomatoes."

 

“ _Fried Green Tomatoes_?” Morgan cried in shock. “What are you doing watching a chick flick like that?”

 

“So you’ve seen it?”

 

“Yeah, my mom loves that movie,” Morgan confirmed. “And my sisters.”

 

“So you didn’t like it?” Reid pressed.

 

“Heck no! Did you?”

 

“Actually I rather enjoyed it. The historical parallels between  the movie and the rural South at that time-”

 

“Alright, alright, never mind.” Morgan cut Reid off, as Reid knew he would. He didn’t want Morgan pressing too hard about why he was watching a movie that was so unlike his typical genre.

 

The next day was Friday. Hotch had Jack that weekend, so he and Spencer postponed their movie night until Saturday after Jack’s bedtime after a full day at the amusement park.

 

“Spencer,” Aaron greeted as Spencer entered his apartment that night. “I’m glad you could come.”

 

That night’s feature _Steel Magnolias_  was watched eating leftover pizza and Pepsi. They sat close together on the couch, and Aaron ended up with his arm around Spencer with Spencer snuggled up against them. At the conclusion of the movie, Spencer gave his review.

 

“While I didn’t enjoy it is much as _Fried Green Tomatoes_ it was still a good movie. And I can  totally see how Shelby’s death had you crying,” Spencer finished with a wink.

 

“Well you just remember what I said Spencer Reid,” Aaron reminded him of his playful threat.

 

“I will and Aaron...I really enjoyed this. I would like to do it again sometime. If you want to that is.”

 

“I would love to. And next time you get to choose the movie and the menu.”

 

“Sounds good.” Spencer gathered his coat and Aaron walked him to the door. Without thinking, Spencer spun around and pressed his lips to Aaron’s, then immediately jumped back in horror.

 

“Oh my god Aaron, I’m so sorry! I-”

 

“Spencer,” Aaron cut Spencer off and pulled him close, delivering his own kiss.

 

Spencer’s keys hit the carpet with a slight jingle as he wrapped his hands around Aaron’s neck. Aaron’s lips were warm and salty sweet from the Pepsi and pizza. Spencer parted his lips slightly, inviting Aaron to explore his mouth with his tongue.

 

Aaron could hardly believe what he was doing. He was kissing Spencer. A man. His subordinate. And he didn’t care. It didn’t matter that he had never kissed a man before. All that mattered was Spencer’s slender body against his and the taste and feel of his beautiful lips and tongue. Aaron moaned deeply, totally lost in the passion of their kiss. He could feel his body responding. When they finally parted for breath, they were both panting.

 

Spencer bent down to pick up his keys. He knew that he should probably leave before things got out of hand. After all, Jack was asleep a few doors away.

 

“Good night Aaron,” he said reluctantly.

 

“Good night Spencer.” Aaron planted another soft kiss on Spencer’s lips and let Spencer out.

 

The upcoming week was uneventful; only a fairly local case in Baltimore that didn’t require the jet to travel. Neither Spencer nor Aaron spoke of the kiss from the other night, but they did talk on the phone several times that week on non work related matters. On Wednesday, the doctor’s office called and said that Dr. Steiner would be out of the office on Thursday and Friday, but could meet with them on Saturday at eleven. That worked just fine for Aaron, since he didn’t want he and Spencer to have to take another day off together. It would arouse too much suspicion.

 

“So Spencer,” Aaron began after looking over a report that Spencer turned in. “Jack and I are going to the movies Friday and then I’m dropping him off at Jessica’s. I was wondering if you wanted to come over around nine?”

 

“Sure Hotch.”

 

“And since we have to get an early start Saturday morning...I mean you can stay on the couch, it folds out into a bed...if you want…” Aaron trailed off, and was he blushing?

 

“Sure. Makes sense. I’ll bring Thai. And I got the newest _Star Trek_   movie in my stocking and never watched it, so I’ll bring that.”

 

“Sure.”

 

That Friday, Spencer showed up at Hotch’s place with Thai food. They watched the movie and Spencer Provided plenty of commentary about the history of the original _Star Trek_ and the differences.

 

“Spencer, you do know that this is supposedly a prequel don’t you?”

 

“I do, and they did a very good job. Much better than the _Star Wars_ Franchise.”

 

“You should cut poor Lucas a break. Help me with the dishes?”

 

Washing dishes led to a playful suds fight between the two man. Spencer marveled at how different Aaron was at home as compared to work. It was almost like he was two different people.

 

“Something on your mind?” Aaron asked while throwing Spencer a flirtatious side glance.

 

“Yes, just seeing you relax and so un-Hotch-like. It just...different.”

 

Hotch stepped closer to Spencer. “Different good or different bad?”

 

“Good...d-definitely different good,” Spencer stammered as Aaron wrapped his hands around Spencer’s waist.

 

“That’s a relief,” Aaron murmured right before they kissed.

 

The kiss was even more passionate than before, probably because Jack wasn’t home. Aaron’s hands ran up and down Spencer’s back and settled in his soft waves. Spencer drew Aaron’s tongue into his mouth and sucked gently. Aaron moaned and pulled Spencer closer, grounding his erection into Spencer’s. He wanted more, but he wasn’t sure what to do, or how to proceed. Were things moving too fast? What were they doing anyway? Spencer seemed to sense his reluctance and broke off the kiss.

 

“Help me make up the couch?” Spencer asked.

 

“Um, yeah. Let me go get the sheets.” Aaron hurried to the linen closet in the hall and took a moment to readjust himself. His jeans were uncomfortably tight.

 

After they said their goodnights, Aaron still had a problem to deal with. It was becoming painful. He normally showered in the morning, but he decided to take an extra long shower and do something he hadn’t done in years-masturbate. As the stroked his throbbing member, he couldn’t help but imagine that it was Spencer’s hands around him, or maybe his mouth. Yeah, that’s it. Spencer on his knees, sucking and caressing his dick, just like he was earlier with his tongue. His orgasm was sudden and powerful, causing him to cry out loudly and pray that Spencer didn’t hear.

 

No such luck. Spencer heard Aaron and knew exactly what was going on. He had slipped into the bathroom and done the same thing. He couldn’t help but imagine sucking on Aaron’s cock that he could feel pressing against him while they were kissing. He could almost hear Aaron moaning and whispering his name. Chalk it up to his sophomoric crush that he had been nursing for his boss for over eight years. He knew it was farfetched. Aaron was straight, Spencer knew with almost 100 percent certainty that Aaron had never been with a man; probably had never even thought about it. Spencer would have to tread carefully.

 

The next morning, they were up and out before the sun was up, stopping by Spencer’s favorite coffee shoppe for pastries and coffee.

 

“We obviously won't have time to stop before the appointment but why not after? Is there a particular restaurant you want to try?”

 

“Why not our usual?” Aaron suggested. “I want to try their bacon burger with bacon and cheddar soup.”

 

“Oh, my arteries,” Spencer replied. “I supposed if I ran fifty kilometers a week I could afford to eat like that.”

 

They spent most of the ride in easy banter, until about thirty miles out from their destination. Then it hit Aaron. He was on trial. The doctor was going to give him the news. The verdict. Then the doctor was going to discuss a treatment plan. Sentencing. Somehow he knew that his secret wouldn’t be secret for long. He would have to come clean.

 

Spencer’s hand on his knee was comforting, but could do nothing to stop the adrenaline coursing through his veins and slow his hammering heart that was threatening to burst out of his chest.

 

**********

 

Aaron and Spencer sat in Dr. Steiner’s office. Instead of sitting behind his desk. He took a chair across from them on the sofa.

 

“Aaron,” the doctor began. “Considering the accident that led to your current situation and the high risk occupation that you do it’s a miracle that you have retained as much hearing as you have. With that being said, let’s get to the point.” The doctor opened a file.

 

“Aaron, at this point, you have lost between thirty five and forty percent of the hearing in you left ear. We know this mainly through the decibel test.  You are currently hearing at fifty two decibels. Fifty five decibels and above is classified as severe hearing loss, which means you will definitely need a hearing aid to continue to do things such as drive and carry on normal conversations without the benefits of sign language or reading of lips.

 

“However, to be considered for a hearing aid you will have to undergo some minor surgery-” The doctor stopped when Aaron flinched and shook his head.

 

“Doctor,” Spencer asked softly. “Why is surgery necessary?”

 

The doctor pulled up some X-rays on a tablet. “The damage to your eardrum and Cochlear nerve is severe. We will have to repair the damage before we consider any treatment plan. It will also slow the progression of your hearing loss. Without the surgery, you will be completely deaf in your left ear within three years, not to mention the fact that you have already lost about fourteen percent of the hearing in your right ear.”

 

Aaron seemed to numb to speak.

 

“What kind of timeline are we talking about?” Spencer asked.

 

“He should have the surgery within six weeks,” the doctor explained.

 

“Re...re..recovery?” Aaron managed.

 

“It’s a day surgery. Recovery should be no more than a few days a week at the most. But I must stress that you must relax and recover completely. If not, none of this will work.”

“Ok,” Aaron said quietly. “Give me a few weeks to work a plan.”

 

“Call this office and we will book your appointment with the day surgery center,” the doctor told him. He handed  Spencer a pamphlet. “This contains the information on different options for treatment.”

 

“What’s this written in?” Spencer asked, peering at the bottom.

 

“An article that you might find interesting. I’ll give you two some time.” The doctor left and closed the door.

 

Aaron sat frozen, seemingly staring at nothing. Spencer grasped his hand; it was ice cold.

 

“Aaron-”

 

“Spencer,” Aaron began softly. “It’s over. I’m done with the bureau.”

 

“Aaron-”

 

“After the surgery, when I go back to work they’re going to find out and then they’re going to make me retire-”

 

“Aaron-”

 

“How do you hide something like that?” Aaron demanded, jumping up and pacing the office. How do I hide a hearing aid? They’ll all see!”

 

“Aaron, that doesn’t mean your career is over. You may have to come out of the field but-”

 

“This isn’t your decision Spencer! I didn’t ask for your opinion!”

 

Spencer sat calmly and quietly, letting Aaron vent.

 

“I mean it’s not like your career is over. You’re young. You still have what? Twenty more years. Not me, I’m done! Why do you even care anyway? I know. You feel sorry for me, don’t you. Well I don’t need your pity, Spencer Reid. I can take care of myself! I’ve been doing it longer than you’ve been alive!” Aaron opened the doctor’s door and slammed it, knocking a picture off of the bookcase.

 

Spencer put the picture back, thankful for the thick carpet that cushioned the fall and didn’t break the glass. He ran into the doctor on his way out.

 

“Dr. Steiner-”

Dr. Steiner held up his hand. “No need to apologize. Anger is a very common reaction to this situation. At least he didn’t break my window. I’ve had that happen a couple of times.”

 

“Thank you. We’ll be in touch.”

 

“You do that. Oh and Dr. Reid?”

 

Reid turned. “Yes?”

 

“Even if you aren’t Aaron’s partner he is very luck to have someone so supportive in his corner. It makes the process of adjustment easier.”

 

“Thank you Doctor.”

 

“Anytime. be sure to read that article.”

 

When Spencer reached the car, Aaron had his head down on the steering wheel. He opened the passenger door and slid in beside him.

 

“Spencer, I’m sorry.”

 

“You don’t have to apologize Aaron.”

 

“Yes, I do. I didn’t mean to lash out at you. I’m just having a hard time with this. I don’t know what I would do without your support.”

 

“Aaron, I’m in this for the long haul. We’re going to get through this together.”

 

Aaron gazed at Spencer, his eyes full of emotion. Then he leaned over and kissed him.  “Thank you Spencer. For everything.”

 

On the way back, Spencer pulled up the article the doctor recommended.

 

“Aaron, the doctor is a genius!”

 

“How so?” Aaron couldn’t remember ever hearing Spencer refer to anyone other than himself as such.

 

“This article is predicting that a strain of the Avian flu is supposed to be particularly vicious this season. There have already been fifty cases in the DC metro area.”

 

“Interesting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to work tomorrow! It may take a few days for an update, I've been languishing in my bed and writing. Next up, Aaron prepares the surgery and he and Spencer discuss what has been going on between them.


	6. The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Spencer have a discussion about what is going on between them, and pull of a ruse to get Aaron into surgery.

The next weekend, Aaron and Spencer sat on the couch together planning how they would pull off Aaron’s ‘illness’.

 

“I feel like we’re two naughty boys playing hooky from school,” Spencer giggled. 

 

Aaron chuckled. “It’ll be my first time. What about you?”

 

“Nope. Sometimes when the bullies got to be too much I would skip. And sometimes my mother needed me at home. I would forge notes from her.”

 

From the look on Aaron’s face Spencer could tell he was about to apologize. Spencer shook his head. “It’s ok. Not like I had to be there anyway.”

 

“Spencer Reid, you are a bad boy. I’m going to have to put you in detention.”

 

“But sir,” Spencer cooed. “I can make it up to you.”

 

Aaron shook his head firmly, getting into their game. “Nope. You have detention, young man. Just you and me.”

 

Spencer peered at Aaron through his long eyelashes. “What will be my punishment sir?” He asked, his voice low and husky. 

 

Arousal spiked through Aaron, hitting in a wave that he wasn’t prepared for.  He pushed Spencer down on the couch and climbed on top of him, delivered a kiss so passionate that both men were left breathless. They ground their throbbing erections against each other, rutting like horny teenagers, breathing and moaning. 

 

Aaron stood up, his face flushed and his erection prominent and pushing painfully against his jeans. His eyes were dark with desire, black kohls burning a hole into Spencer’s soul. He reached down and pulled Spencer to his feet and led him to his bedroom. 

 

In the bedroom, Aaron sat on the bed and pulled Spencer down with him. They kissed some more, deep and without abandon, moaning and groping at each other. 

 

Spencer pulled back. “Aaron, what do you want?”

 

“I...I just…” Aaron stammered. He didn’t know how to say what he wanted. He was horny as hell, and desperately in need of release.

 

“Why don’t you just let me make you feel good?” Spencer purred, palming Aaron’s throbbing erection.

 

“God yes,” Aaron moaned.

 

“Lay back and relax,” Spencer instructed.  Aaron found himself impatient as Spencer worked to remove his clothes, then his own. Finally, both naked, Aaron took a moment to admire Aaron’s long, lithe body, his creamy skin and slight muscular build reminded him of one of those statues of the Greek gods. 

 

Spencer reached down and licked Aaron’s left nipple, causing him to moan and writhe beneath him. His hands traveled down Aaron’s chiseled muscles to his throbbing cock. He encircled the bulbous head with his thumb, smearing the precum around his cock. Aaron gasped.

 

“Do you have any lubrication?” Spencer asked.

 

“S-side drawer,” Aaron managed. Spencer retrieved the lube, grinning to himself that the bottle was almost half empty.

 

Spencer slicked up his hands and grasped Aaron’s cock in a firm, slow stroke. Aaron groaned loudly and called Spencer’s name.

 

“Faster,” Aaron encouraged. Spencer sped up his strokes, Aaron was now thrusting his hips into Spencer’s hands, desperate to come. “Faster Spencer!” Aaron ordered in his Hotch voice, wrapping his hands around Spencer’s.

 

“Is this what you wanted?” Spencer teased. “You like it fast and hard don’t you?”

 

“Yes like that Spencer!” Aaron exclaimed. “Rub my balls for me baby.”

 

While Spencer rolled Aaron’s jewels between his delicate fingers, he used one to reach down and press on his perineum. Aaron came with a shout, coating Spencer’s hand and his belly with his passion.

 

Spencer climbed off of Aaron to retrieve a warm cloth for him. After Aaron cleaned up, he pushed Spencer down on the bed and thrust his hand between Spencer’s legs. Spencer squealed with delight. Coating his hand with lube, he set a brisk pace on Spencer’s cock.

 

“Like this Aaron,” Spencer encouraged, slowing his hand down. Spencer liked a slow, firm stroke with a slight twist. Aaron leaned down to whisper in Spencer’s ear.

 

“Spencer Reid, you’re such a bad boy. I’m going to have to have a few more sessions with you until you learn your lesson aren’t I?"

 

“Yes sir, I’ve been bad. I need to be disciplined”, Spencer moaned, arching his body up.

Aaron reached down and bit into Spencer’s nipple and Spencer was done. He climaxed with wail, arching off the bed as vibrations racked his body.

 

Afterward, they showered and settled in bed after changing the sheets. Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer and buried his nose in Spencer’s hair, inhaling his unique scent.

 

“Aaron?” Spencer asked.

 

“Hmmmm?” Aaron replied, his face still buried in Spencer’s hair.

 

“What are we doing?”

 

Aaron lifted his head up.

 

“I mean, what’s going on between us? I’m not trying to have the ‘where is this going’ talk but…” Spencer trailed off.

 

“It sounds like you are.” Aaron felt Spencer stiffen. “But I do owe you an explanation. Spencer, I enjoy spending time with you, whether it be watching movies, playing cards, or just talking. And then there’s this,” Aaron nuzzled into Spencer’s neck. 

 

“Aaron,” Spencer giggled, trying to wriggle away from him. “Stop that!”

 

“No, I don’t think I will. But I don’t really know what to call it. I really value our time together, and I am grateful to you for helping me through this. I’ve never been with a man before, never even thought about it. Not until you Spencer.”

 

“Aaron…” for the first time in recent history, Spencer didn’t know what to say.

 

“Well that’s a first. Spencer Reid speechless. I need to write this down.”

 

Spencer playfully punched Aaron on the arm. “Well Aaron, if you haven’t guess by now, I’m gay. No one on the team knows except Rossi. And that was purely by accident.”

 

“So Morgan doesn’t even know?”

 

“No. I never told him, because he would be trying to fix me up.”

 

“Well, there’ll be none of that.”

 

“Well, I have to admit I do have a crush on someone.”

 

“Oh, Do I know him?" 

“You might. He’s tall, dark, and handsome. He’s the leader of the most elite unit in the FBI. He’s a total badass at work, but he cries over chick flicks at home when no one’s watching.”

 

“I think I’ve heard of him. I hear he’s a real jerk.”

 

“Nah, not once you get to know him. And he’s a really good kisser too.”

 

“Is that right?”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“Well too bad, you’re going to have to tell this ‘crush’ that you’re seeing someone. And he’s very jealous.”

 

Spencer giggled and snuggled closer. 

 

**********

That next week, Spencer and Aaron put their plan in motion it turned out to be easier than they had initially thought. Several agents were already out with the flu.

 

“Hotch, you OK? You don’t look so good,” Morgan said at an early Wednesday morning meeting.

 

“Just tired,” Aaron sighed.

 

“It could be the flu,” Spencer chimed in on cue. “The Avian strain H5N1 is particularly virulent this season. The flu vaccine does not guarantee protection.”

 

“It’s...not the flu,” Aaron said tiredly.

 

“Are you sure?” Prentiss said, leaning in. “You looked kind of flushed. And don’t forget Anderson, Johnson, and Collins are already out with it.”

 

“Aaron,” Dave said calmly. “You’re sick. You need to go home.”

 

“I’m...I’m fine,” Aaron insisted weakly, almost grinning at their game. 

 

“No offense man, but don’t touch me. I ain’t trying to get it,” Morgan jumped back.

 

“Actually, you have probably already been exposed-”

 

“Reid!” Morgan growled.

 

“Ok,” Aaron finally agreed. “I’ll just go home and get some rest and be back tomorrow-”

 

“Oh no you won’t,” JJ interjected. “Whatever you have, keep it to yourself.  I don’t want to take it home to Henry. And Jack should stay with Jessica until you are better,” JJ decided.

 

“But-”

 

“Not buts!” JJ said firmly, the mother hen tone rearing to the surface. “Now which one of you is going to take Hotch home?" 

 

“I vote Reid,” Morgan chimed.

 

“What? Why me?” Spencer squeaked.

 

“Look, you’re a genius. I’m sure you can figure out how not to get it.”

 

“Rossi-”

 

“Nope. I think my age puts me in the highest risk.”

 

“And don’t even look at me,” Prentiss warned.

 

**********

 

They drove straight to the day surgery center, located right next door to Dr. Steiner’s office. Dr. Steiner, a nurse, a surgical assistant, and an anesthesiologist were waiting for him. 

 

“Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of him,” Dr. Steiner assured Spencer.

 

Spencer bent down and kissed Aaron on the cheek. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

  
“I’m counting on it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Miss me! I decided to move things along between Aaron and Spencer, they both can use some comfort. Next up, Aaron recovers from surgery and their plan hits a few snags. I apologize for any grammatical errors, I've been a bit distracted. Blame it on the @sshole who stole my phone.


	7. Complications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After complications develop from the surgery, Aaron's secret is discovered.

Spencer sat up beside Aaron in bed, who was sleeping fitfully. He was reading the patient aftercare instructions for the thousandth time (literally) and had been tracking Aaron’s symptoms and he didn’t like what he was seeing. Aaron’s fever had been climbing steadily, and although a slight fever was to be expected, Aaron’s temperature was over 103. He had debated calling Dr. Steiner, he gave him is after hours number, but he though he could handle it. He had given Aaron some Motrin as recommended for the fever but so far it hadn’t been much help.

 

“Mmmmm….” Aaron stirred.

 

“Aaron?” Spencer was immediately alert. “What is it?”

 

“Haley…” Aaron mumbled.

 

_Haley?_ Spencer wondered. _Did he hear that right_?

 

“Haley…” Aaron mumbled again. “Everything...fine...not….”

 

Now Aaron was hallucinating. Spencer hopped off the bed, his mind made up.

 

Getting a well built man over six feet tall that couldn’t walk down a flight of stairs and into an SUV was no easy feat. Spencer wouldn’t have managed without the help of the doorman. He phoned Dr. Steiner on en route to the hospital and told him about the fever and hallucinations. Dr. Steiner asked to be kept posted on his condition and to let him know if there was anything he could do.

 

Aaron kept mumbling on the way to the hospital, most of it incoherent. Spencer tried not to focus on the fact that Aaron was moaning the name of his late wife, well not technically but everyone, even Aaron, considered him a widower.

_It’s very common to hallucinate about a love one while injured or ill_ , Spencer reassured himself. _It doesn’t mean anything._  He tried his best to compartmentalize, Aaron’s health was paramount, not his insecurities over a dead woman.

 

Spencer didn’t even try to get Aaron out of the SUV by himself at the emergency room, he ran inside for assistance, flashing his  badge. A medical team rushed outside with a stretcher, and immediately rushed him into a room.

 

An exam revealed that Aaron had developed an infection at the site of surgery, a common side effect of any surgery, especially day surgery. They settled Aaron into a room, started an IV for antibiotics for the infection, and worked to get his fever down.

 

“Are you his son?” A nurse asked after coming in to check his vitals.

 

Spencer glared at her. Aaron wasn't _that_ much older than him, only sixteen years, but he guess technically that was old enough to be his father. But seriously? He opened his mouth to tell her that Aaron was his boss but that’s not what came out.

 

“No, I’m his partner.”

 

The nurse’s eyes widened. “P-partner?”

 

“Yes, he’s my boyfriend. Is that so hard to believe?” He snapped, already on edge because of Aaron’s condition and his hallucinations.

 

“Is what so hard to believe?”

 

Spencer’s head snapped up. “Rossi? What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m Aaron’s emergency contact.”

 

Panic coursed through Spencer’s veins. In all the melee recently, Aaron probably hadn’t even thought about changing that information. They were trying to keep this a secret, no one was supposed to know. Now Rossi was here, and by the look on his face he was demanding answers.

 

“Oh.”

 

"I'll leave you two alone," the nurse said, stepping outside.

 

“Imagine my surprise at the one AM phone call I got stating that Aaron had been hospitalized due to complications from a surgery.”

 

“Ummm….” Spencer stuttered.

 

“What’s going on Reid?” Rossi asked.

 

“Rossi I...I can’t…”

 

“Spencer, this is important,” Rossi leaned in, studying the tiny sutures around Aaron’s right ear.

 

“I’m sorry Rossi I can’t. I made a promise. If Aaron wants you to know he will have to tell you himself.”

 

Rossi’s thick eyebrows shot up. “Aaron?” Since when did you call him Aaron?”

 

Reid’s leg started bouncing, which happened when he was nervous. “Look Rossi, I-I can’t.”

 

Rossi backed off, seeing how distressed his younger colleague was. He stepped out into the hall to make a call. After he hung up the nurse that was in the room walked up to him.

 

“I think you’re little friend is mad at me,” she commented.

 

“Pardon?” Rossi asked.

 

“I didn’t realize the patient was his boyfriend. I thought it was his father. He got a little pissy about it.”

 

Rossi chuckled to hide his surprise. “Don’t worry, it happens all the time,” he covered. “How’s his condition?”

 

“Well his fever is coming down. It will break sometime tonight. And the antibiotics will combat the infection. He should be cleared for lease within a day or two.”

 

“Thank you nurse.” Rossi might have to report her lack of professional etiquette later.

 

The night passed by awkwardly, with Reid and Rossi chatting about some of their open cases. Around six AM, Reid stepped out to get some coffee.

 

Rossi leaned over to his friend. “You can stop pretending to be asleep now Aaron.”

 

Aaron’s eyes opened. “Dave…”  

 

“How’s that _flu_ coming along?” Dave asked, with a look that told Aaron that he shouldn’t try to lie to him.

 

“Dave….I….you don’t understand….” Aaron mumbled, shutting his eyes tight.

 

“I understand a lot more than you think. It’s been made abundantly clear to me tonight. But I’d like to hear it from you.”

 

“What do you think you know?” Aaron asked, while trying to sit up. He gave up on this, he was still too weak. He instead adjusted the bed into a half sitting position.

 

“Well here’s what I think. I think that your hearing is fading fast, and that you and Reid  conjured up some cockamamy story about the flu, nice job on the acting by the way; to cover up what’s really going on. Am I right?”

 

“Dave, it’s not-”

 

“There’s no gain in trying to lie, Aaron. I see the surgical scars and sutures. Now it all makes sense. I should have put this together a long time ago. Why did you feel you had to lie to me?”

 

“Why do you think?” Aaron demanded, fighting his weakness to sit up. “What do you think will happen when this gets out? I’m done Dave!”

 

“You don’t know that. The FBI is more than just running around with a gun chasing UnSubs. You should know that Aaron. Once upon a time, you had ambitions to run the FBI. And why are you jeopardizing Reid’s career by forcing  to keep your secret and cover for you? The kid could get in some serious trouble!”

 

“He didn’t force me to do anything.” A soft voice spoke up. Neither Aaron nor Dave had heard him come in. “I promised him that I wouldn't tell anyone, not the other way around.”

 

“Reid-” Rossi started.

 

“Dave, stop. If it wasn’t for Reid, I wouldn’t have even gone to the doctor. Maybe it’s not fair what I did. But I….” Aaron trailed of, taking a deep breath. “I need him Dave. I can’t get through this without him. And I know I can’t keep this from the Bureau forever. I’ll figure this out.”

 

“No Aaron,” Dave said, shaking his head. “ _We’ll_ figure this out.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry so short! But you really can't keep anything from Dave, can you? Next up: Recovery and revelations. (You didn't think I put that hallucination bit in there on accident did you?)


	8. Recovery and Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer and Aaron reveal their insecurities.

Spencer stayed with Aaron for the first two days after he got out of the hospital. After that, he had to return to work. He texted a few times a day. But he was still distracted. Aaron had started to notice. He had kept asking Spencer if ‘everything was ok’ and Spencer said it was, but he could tell that Aaron didn’t believe him.  
  
Aaron sat home on his couch, reading through reports. He was distracted. He couldn’t get his mind off of Spencer. Spencer had been acting very strange, so distant lately. Was Spencer having second thoughts? Did Spencer want to end the relationship? The thought made Aaron’s heart ache and he could the panic rising in his gut and that tingling at the back of his neck, which happened when he was anxious about something. He had no clue as to what was wrong with Spencer. Maybe the thought of being with a much older man who was half deaf was too much for him. Yes, that was it, he was sure of it. Spencer was young, attractive, with a good job and the intelligence to work in almost any industry with the world. What would he want with Aaron anyway?  
  
After the case wrapped up the next day, Spencer headed to his place after the case. He didn’t know why this was bothering him so much. Aaron probably didn’t even remember the hallucination; especially when he was so feverish. But Spencer wouldn’t forget, he couldn’t forget. He remembered how Aaron had put Haley on a pedestal, even after they were divorced. He blamed the entire incident on him; Haley leaving, the divorce, Foyet, everything. And what’s worse, Spencer could never tell him. Haley was still a sensitive subject for him. There was no way he would ever reveal his insecurities to him. Why the hell was Aaron with him anyway? He was skinny, geeky, and awkward. ‘Weird’ and ‘strange’ were some of the nicest words used to describe him. Aaron was tall, dark , and extremely handsome. He was the leader of an elite FBI unit. He had a law degree, he could have just about anyone he wanted. What would he want with Spencer?  
  
Spencer had just taken his contacts out when he heard knocking on his door. It was late at night, so it could only be Morgan or….  
  
“Aaron,” Spencer said as he opened his door. “Come in,” he said as he moved aside for Aaron to enter.  
  
“How are you feeling?” Spencer asked, as he leaned in to study Aaron’s ear. His stitches had healed nicely, and could only be seen if you leaned in close, closer than Aaron would ever let anyone get to him.  
  
“I’m fine Spencer, but that’s not why I’m here. We need to talk.” Spencer stiffened. Aaron was using his ‘Hotch’ voice. Spencer had no idea that Aaron was literally trembling with trepidation on the inside.  
  
“What about?” Spencer asked.  
  
“What’s going on Spencer?” Aaron demanded.  
  
“What do you-”  
  
“Spencer, don’t” Aaron ground out. “Don’t pretend that nothing is wrong. Since I got home from the hospital, you have been pulling away and barely even speaking to me. What’s going on? If you want to stop seeing me, just tell me now,” Aaron rushed out. There. He had said it. Now he braced for the worst.  
  
Spencer’s mouth dropped open. “What? What are you talking about?”  
  
“I’m talking about the fact that you have barely spoken to me over these past few days!” Aaron ground out, his panic getting the best of him. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about either. No what is going on? Do you want to break up or not?”  
  
“No!” Spencer exclaimed. “Aaron it’s nothing like that!”  
  
“Then what is it?” Aaron asked. He could feel relief flowing through him.  
  
Spencer studied Aaron. He was actually visibly relieved. Had Spencer misjudged? Maybe he had it all wrong.  
  
“Spencer,” Aaron said gently, taking his hand. “What is it?”  
  
“Aaron... it’s just….”  
  
“Go ahead,” Aaron encouraged.  
  
“You know when I took you to the hospital that night?”  
  
“Yes, I remember. Well not exactly,” Aaron chuckled. “All I remember is waking up in the hospital.”  
  
“Well, you fever was really high and you...you were hallucinating Aaron.”  
  
“I was?” Aaron remembered none of this.  
  
“Yes. You were hallucinating about Haley. You kept calling her name over and over.”  
  
Realization struck Aaron like a direct jab to the face as he took in what was going on. Haley? What the hell? He had done a pretty good job of compartmentalizing that part of his life ever since the incident with Spencer had occurred. Dammit, now it was back.  
  
Spencer eyed Aaron. He had a look of intense guilt on his face and suddenly Spencer felt like an a insecure little ninny for bring the whole thing up, or letting it affect him as it had.  
  
“Spencer I had no idea. I don’t even remember anything about it.”  
  
Spencer sighed. “I know.”  
  
“Spencer you can’t think that I….” Aaron broke off, not sure whether to continue.  
  
Spencer looked at him expectantly.  
  
“Spencer, I don’t know what happened. I don’t remember anything about that night. But about Haley...Spencer she was my wife. We were married for almost 20 years before she left me. We had a child. Jack was an attempt to save our marriage, an epic fail. When she left, I blamed myself. I knew that nothing would save my marriage. Even if left BAU, it would still have come between us. I couldn’t make her happy. I was finally starting to move on before Foyet. I don’t want to get into all those details. But I felt that Foyet was my fault and the guilt from that will never go away. It’s not as bad as it once was, but it was still there. But as far as me still being in love with her, that’s not true Spencer. I’m sorry.”  
  
Spencer scooted closer to Aaron. “Aaron you have nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who's sorry for letting my insecurities interfere with us. My rational mind told the that the hallucinations didn’t mean that you were in love with her. I just couldn’t make my emotional side listen.”  
  
Aaron chuckled. “Spencer Reid unable to rationalize his way out of something. Now that’s rare.”  
  
“Shut up,” Spencer said, crawling into his lap. “I’m just glad this misunderstanding is over. I thought that you might have wanted to break up with me.”  
  
Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer. “Ironic. I thought you wanted to break up with me. I mean, it’s not like I have much to offer you.”  
  
Spencer lifted his head up. “What do you mean?”  
  
“Spencer, look at me. Middle aged, emotional baggage, overworked, half deaf. You have your whole life ahead of you. What would you want with me?”  
  
Spencer looked at Aaron as if he was crazy. “What are you talking about? Aaron you are the leader of one of the most elite law enforcement units in the country. You have a  law degree, you command the respect of everyone around you, friends and enemies alike. You are a loving father, raising a son without his mother. And not to mention…” Spencer leaned in a kissed him. “Extremely sexy.”  
  
“Is that so?” Aaron asked as he cupped Spencer’s ass and pulled him closer.  
  
Suddenly they were kissing and grinding against each other with urgency, their insecurities forgotten. Aaron tore at the buttons on Spencer’s Star Wars pajama top, nipping at the milky hot skin beneath. Spencer moaned, then hopped up and pulled Aaron up with him into the bedroom. They fell on the bed kissing and groping at each other until they both ended up naked. Spencer ground their throbbing erections against each other. Aaron was beside himself with unquenched lust. It seemed so long since he and Spencer had touched each other. He arched up into Spencer’s touch as Spencer stroked his cock in long, slow strokes.  
  
“Spencer,” Aaron moaned, almost whining. Spencer knew that by the tone of Aaron’s voice a simple hand job wouldn’t be enough tonight.  
  
“Aaron,” Spencer said huskily. “What do you want?”  
  
“I want...I want…” Aaron stammered reaching down to encouraged Spencer to stroke him more firmly.  
  
"You want what?" Spencer said already knowing the answer. He squeezed the head of Aaron’s cock until a pearl of precum appeared at the tip.  
  
“I want you to suck me Spencer.”  
  
With a naughty glint in his eye. Spencer leaned in a licked the drop of precum off of Aaron’s dick. He moaned and gripped the quilt on the bed, his knuckles turning white as Spencer sucked on the bulbous head of Aaron’s sex.  
  
“Ah Spencer,” Aaron cooed. “I’ve wanted this since that night in the kitchen...you just don’t know....” Aaron trailed off with a moan as Spencer swallowed him whole.  
  
What was going on in the bedroom could only be described as a porn scene. Anyone would have been shocked to see two male members of an elite FBI unit on the bed, completely naked and lost in their passion. The leader of the unit had his legs splayed open with the youngest member between them, sucking furiously. The leader had his subordinate's chestnut waves in an iron grip, shoving his head down and uttering curses and whimpers. The other member of the unit was making obscene noises of satisfaction and had one hand around his own dick, stroking in rhythm with his sucking. Aaron gripped Spencer's head and thrust up hard, fucking Spencer’s mouth with abandon, lost into his own pleasure and nothing else on his mind except the huge orgasm that he could feel building.  
  
“Spencer, I’m coming, be a good boy and…. FUCK SPENCER!” Aaron shouted as he came hard into Spencer’s willing mouth. Spencer sucked hard and drank every drop before leaning up on his knees and shut his eyes tight, determined to finish himself off. He came all over Aaron’s torso, with a high pitched squeal accompanying his orgasm.  
  
He lay on Aaron’s chest, both wet and sticky as they were, both trying to catch their breath.  
  
“If all of our misunderstandings are going to end up like that, we may need to have them more often,” Aaron chuckled.  
  
“Maybe, but we definitely need a shower before we end up stuck together,”  Spencer replied.  
  
After they had showered, changed the comforter and snuggled under the covers they were asleep within minutes. Two hours later, Aaron’s phone rang. He hadn’t heard it, but Spencer had and woke him up. He didn’t even look at the called ID.  
  
“Hotchner,” he muttered sleepily into the phone.  
  
“Aaron.” Came the sharp tone of Director, Strauss’ voice.  
  
“Ma’am?” Aaron was instantly awake.  
  
“I know you are on sick leave, but I trust you have had enough time to recover.”  
  
“Yes ma’am I was going to return tomorrow.”  
  
“Good. I just received a call from the director. Are you familiar with Somerville Military Academy?”  
  
“Yes ma’am. I believe the Director graduated from there?”  
  
“That is correct. There has been a mass suicide there and he would like for your team to investigate.”  
  
“I will be there within the hour.” That was pushing it. He had to go home and get changed. He had a go bag but in his office but it had been there for months and the items probably needed to be washed and repacked.  
  
“Oh, and one more thing Aaron.”  
  
“Ma’am?”  
“I will be accompanying you on this case.”  
  
“Yes ma’am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that I've been gone so long! Missed all of you. I'm thinking of wrapping this up in another two to three chapters, plus maybe an epilogue. Next chapter, Strauss' downfall and the team finds out. Luvs ya!


	9. The Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron tells the team. It doesn't go well, particularly with one member.

“Hotch!!!!”

 

Aaron’s head snapped up. He had been so absorbed in reading the reports Garcia had pulled up on the Military academy, and had his right side towards the door that he hadn’t even heard Morgan come in.

 

“I’m sorry what was that?”

 

“What the hell is going on with you? I’ve been standing here for almost five minutes talking to you and you haven’t even looked up!”

 

Shit.  He hadn’t been fitted for his hearing aid yet. He was supposed to have a follow up appointment to choose one but the case came up and Strauss insisted that he come. Ever since he got here, he and Morgan had been bumping heads, Morgan not understanding why Aaron was being so passive.

 

Now Morgan’s sharp eyes were studying the tiny sutures around his right ear, not visible unless one was  extremely close.

 

“What the-”

 

“Morgan, what is it?” Hotch cut Morgan off.

 

“I  said that Strauss is drunk!”

 

Hotch threw all of his focus into wrapping up the case and mitigating damage caused by Strauss and her reckless behavior. He had seen Morgan speaking to Rossi in heated tones, but couldn’t tell what they were saying. He was sure Morgan was talking about him. He wanted answers. He deserved answers. The whole team did.  Dammit.

 

The ride back on the jet was strained and sullen. Hotch felt Morgan’s eyes on him more than once. Once they deplaned, he and Morgan agreed that it was time to deal with Strauss. 

 

“I’ll drive her to the treatment center, but after that, you and I are going to have a talk,” Derek said in a tone that would brook no arguments. 

 

“I agree. Come to my apartment tonight after you get Strauss checked in.”

 

**********

 

Aaron was in his bedroom, pacing nervously in front of Spencer. The rest of the team, minus Derek, were in his living room, waiting for him.

 

“Aaron, it’s going to be OK,” Spencer attempted to comfort him.

 

“Spencer, what if it isn’t? What if they report me? This is going to spell the end, I just know it.”

 

“Aaron, you know that won’t happen. They will protect you with their life, all of us will.”

 

“I don’t know Spencer, I just don’t know. You should have seen that look Morgan gave me. He’s going to report this.”

 

“I don’t think he will, Aaron. I think he just wants answers. He worried about you. I know he seems confrontational but that’s just how he deals.”

 

“Let’s hope so.”  Spencer’s head jerked up and he looked towards the living room. 

 

“Is that him?” Aaron asked. He hadn’t heard Morgan enter his apartment. He couldn’t hear anything in the back room with his door shut besides the conversation he was having with Spencer.

 

Spencer nodded. Aaron followed Spencer out to his living room where the team was waiting. At the sight of Aaron and Spencer coming from Aaron’s bedroom, Morgan narrowed his eyes. 

 

“I know you want to know what’s been going on with me lately,” Aaron began. Only Spencer could detect the slight tremor in his voice. 

 

“I know I told you last week that I had the flu,” Aaron continued. “But that wasn’t true.”

 

“What do you-” Emily started.

 

“Please, no questions until I’m finished,” Aaron said, wanting to get this over with. He couldn’t do that if he was constantly interrupted. 

 

“The truth is that I’m...I’m losing my hearing. I’ve lost almost seventy percent of my hearing in my right ear, and about twenty percent in my left.” He quoted the latest numbers given to him by Dr. Steiner the other day.

 

“Ever since that bomb went off in New York, my hearing has been damaged. I thought it was temporary, but these last few months have really brought the problem to light. I went for surgery to repair my cochlear nerve in my right ear last week. The surgery was a success, but I was hospitalized briefly for an infection after surgery. 

 

“Next week  I am scheduled to be fitted for a hearing aid. This will most likely take me out of the field. I am not sure what my future with the bureau will be after that.”

 

His team was shocked into silence. Garcia’s eyes glistened with tears. Emily and JJ looked to be at a loss for words. But Morgan, who was angry, had plenty to say.

 

“So  you not only lied to us, but you put the whole teams life at risk.”

 

“You are correct Morgan. For that, I apologize.”

 

“You apologize?” Morgan spat, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at his Unit Chief. “You apologize? Is that all you have to say? Just how long were you going to keep this little ‘secret’ to yourself? What if something happened to you in the field? Or one of us?!” Derek demanded.

 

“Morgan,” Hotch said calmly. “Please keep your voice down.”

 

“Is that what you’re worried about? Me yelling at you? You’ve been keeping a secret about that you would have fired me  or any one of us for-”

 

“Morgan, I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be. But I had my reasons. But I haven’t been dealing with this alone. Spencer has been helping me through this.” He saw the look of surprise from his team as he referred to Reid by his first name.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Spencer has really helped me through this. He helped me find a doctor and has accompanied me to my visits. He was there for my surgery and helped me recover.”

 

“And he was a part of your little ‘flu’ cover up,” Morgan concluded. He turned to Reid. “Why didn’t you say something kid?”

 

“Because it wasn’t my place to,” Spencer answered. “And please do not call me ‘kid’.”

 

The argument went on and on that night. When Morgan found out that Rossi also knew what was going on, he stormed out of Aaron’s apartment, with Garcia trailing after him. Aaron answered all of JJ and Emily’s questions about his hearing, but stopped short of answering Emily’s question about what was going on between him and Spencer.

 

“So what are you going to do now?” JJ asked.

 

“I will speak with the director tomorrow,” Aaron answered. “And then we’ll go from there.”

 

**********

Spencer tried Derek’s cell phone again, with no success. He wasn’t answering. He was clearly pissed at Spencer, and the look of betrayal in his eyes when he found out that Spencer knew all along was one that Spencer would never forget. However, he put his frustrations aside to comfort his lover, who was racked with guilt.

 

“I went and did the thing I said I would never do Spencer, I put myself above the team. I was only concerned about myself and hiding my secret. I’ve destroyed the team.”

 

Spencer held Aaron and carded his hands through his thick, dark, hair. 

 

“ That’s not true Aaron. You were just afraid. But you got help. Morgan will come around, give him time. And you know Garcia, JJ, and Emily have your back. Aaron, we’ll get through this, I promise. I’m here for you.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Meeting With the Director

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron meets with the director to inform him about his hearing condition and he gets a surprise.

Aaron was at the director’s office before the director. As he waited, we went over and over what he would say to him. He was glad he hadn’t eaten breakfast because it would have come back up.

 

“Hotchner,” the director greeted him, startling him out of his thoughts. “Punctual, as usual.”

 

“Sir,” Aaron greeted, standing up and shaking the director’s hand.

 

“So Hotchner,” the director started. “Would you like to start or should I?”

 

“With your permission, I would like to start.”

 

The Director  nodded.

 

“Sir,” Aaron began, pulling a thick file out of his briefcase, along with an envelope. “This is my request to be removed from field work.”

 

The director raised an eyebrow in surprise. “May I ask why?”

 

“The letter and medical files will explain.”

 

“Medical files?”

 

“Yes sir. I am currently being treated for hearing loss. I have lost  about seventy percent of my hearing in the right ear, and twenty percent in my left.”

 

The director read Aaron’s letter, detailing his injuries. “The bombing in New York.”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“I don’t see here where you say that you intend to leave the Bureau.”

 

“It is not my intention but if…” Aaron faltered for the first time. “...if the Bureau feels that I should retire…” he couldn’t finish the sentence. 

 

The director rubbed his chin. “That might not be necessary. We have several members of the bureau with physical impairments. I’m sure you know that agent Carter is still with us, despite being paralyzed from the waist down. And Descartes in white collar is legally blind. She is invaluable to the Bureau, as is Carter, and you Agent Hotchner.”

 

Aaron’s  heart fluttered. “Thank you sir.”

 

“The reason that I called you here this morning is because I was going to offer you a promotion, that would involve you coming out of the field.”

 

Aaron looked surprised. “Sir?”

 

“This,” the director started, handing Aaron a letter. “Is Erin Strauss’s letter of resignation. She submitted it last week, citing personal reasons. She was supposed to remain until the end of the month but as you know her circumstances have changed. We were going to offer you the position of Section Chief.”

 

Aaron was silent as he read the letter. He was honestly speechless. He read through the letter several times, not knowing what else to do. The director handed him a sealed envelope.

 

“This is our offer of the position to you.”

 

Aaron opened the letter and read through it. He had never been one that was too caught up in money but his eyebrows shot up at the salary they were offering.

 

“Don’t worry, Hotchner, you will earn every penny of that salary. Section chief requires much more work than Unit Chief, as well as navigating through Bureau politics; but with your focus and experience I don’t see you having any problems adjusting to the position.”

 

Aaron finally found his voice. “Is this offer still on the table, now that you know about my condition?”

 

“I will have to submit it for review but since you are coming out of the field I don’t see that as an option. You will not be authorized to carry a weapon, which means that if you do go into the field then you will have to be accompanied by two armed agents.”

 

Aaron nodded. “I see.”

 

“So, Agent Hotchner is this something that you are interested in?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Good. Until you meet with your doctor and are fitted for a hearing aid, we will assign you as Section Chief on an interim basis. Then you will examined by a bureau certified physician and sign a new contract as Section Chief. In the meantime, you can appoint a new Unit Chief for your team and meet with them, as well as the chiefs of the other two units.

“Yes sir.”

 

“Well,” the director  stood up, signaling the end of the meeting. “I sure you have plenty to do. We will meet again next week.”

As soon as Aaron left the director’s office, he texted Spencer and they met at  a coffee shop.

 

“So how did it go?” Spencer asked.

 

“Better than I thought.”

 

“They’re going to let you stay in the field?”

 

“Not exactly. Spencer, they offered me Strauss’s position.”

 

“How?”

 

“Apparently she submitted her resignation a few weeks ago, and they planned on offering me the position to me all along.”

 

“Are you going to take it?”

 

“Now that he knows about my condition, he has to resubmit the request, but he said it shouldn’t be a problem. I won’t be allowed to carry, and I will have to have two armed agents accompany me in the field at all times.”

 

“Don’t worry Aaron, I’ll protect you,” Spencer said with a wink.

 

“I’m sure you will.”

 

Late that afternoon, Aaron met with Morgan, Sam Cooper from the Red Cell Team, and Karina Lopes, from the Unit in New York, who joined them by Skype.

 

“Good afternoon,” Aaron greeted them all. “I hope everyone is doing well. The reason I have called you here is to discuss a change in leadership. Erin Strauss, the section chief has resigned, and I have been appointed as her replacement on an interim basis.

 

Morgan’s eyes grew wide, but he said nothing. Lopes and Cooper remained neutral. 

 

“Nothing much will change, except for that you will be submitting all reports and annual reviews of your team to me. I will be responsible for evaluating you as a team leader and your teams as a whole. Agent Morgan will take over as Unit Chief of my former team. Are there any questions?”

 

“Do you anticipate this as a permanent reassignment or temporary?” Morgan asked.

 

“The Director has offered me the position permanently but there are some additional things to consider.”

 

Cooper wanted to know if he would still be in the field.

 

“I will mainly be in Quantico but if I am needed in the field I will be accompanied by two armed agents.” Cooper’s eyebrow shot up be he didn’t inquire as to why Hotch wouldn’t be carrying.

 

Lopes asked if they could still call them ‘Hotch’. Aaron cracked a small grin and said of course, but only for Unit leaders.

 

After they disconnected the video call with Lopes and Cooper left, Morgan stayed behind. 

 

“Does the director know about your condition?” Morgan asked.

 

“He does.”

 

“And he still offered you the position?”

 

“Yes he did.”

 

“I see. Well are you going to tell the team or should I? Although I’m sure Reid already knows.”

 

“As Unit Chief, you will be responsible for telling your team.” Aaron didn’t respond to Morgan’s other comment.

 

Morgan turned to leave, but Aaron stopped him.

 

“I understand that you are upset and have every right to be, but I sincerely hope that this doesn’t interfere with our working relationship.”

 

“Don’t worry it won’t. And I am upset, I will not deny that. But we will be OK, eventually.”

 

“Glad to hear it.”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Did you miss me! I promise the next update won't take so long! Next up, the team adjusts to Aaron's new position.


	11. The Boss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having Aaron as Section Chief is a major adjustment for Aaron, Spencer, and Morgan.

Aaron sat at his desk, relieved that he could actually see it. During his first few weeks he couldn’t even find his desk. One of his first orders as Section Chief was to digitize forms and reports to reduce clutter. Some forms still needed hard copies for security purposes but it amazed him how wasteful the department was. He now understood why Strauss was so tight with the wallet. 

Less paperwork didn’t mean less work, not by a long shot. It just made it easier to communicate with his Unit Chiefs. Now when he returned reports or had questions, he could do it instantly. His notes to his Unit Chiefs, nicknamed ‘Hotchner’s Highlights’ (which wasn’t a compliment and inadvertently leaked to him by Spencer, who swore him to secrecy) were the bane of their existence. 

Aaron had embraced the section chief position with the same intensity that he did with everything else in his life. No half assing, full focus and concentration. Take no bullshit. He didn’t screw around with the Unit Chiefs under him. He was hard on them, especially Morgan, because Morgan had taken his place on his former team and he expected nothing but excellence. Morgan was cut no slack just because Hotch was formerly the team leader. 

Things had worked surprisingly in his favor. After he had been fitted with his hearing aids, one for each ear which were top of the line, fully digital, programmable, and with volume controls the bureau decided that he could still keep his weapon, but still wanted him to have backup in the field. He was approved for the Section Chief position without incident. That had been almost two months ago. He had gotten used to the hearing aids now, and found that he was sharper than ever. With Spencer by his side he could not remember a time when he was more fulfilled; perhaps right after Jack was born before his job came between him and Haley.

Spencer had been by his side every step of the way. He didn’t know why he had denied himself for so long. Spencer seemed to know him better than anyone else, even Dave. Aaron insisted that Spencer stay with him when he wasn’t out of a case, and Spencer had no problem with that. He found his bed lonely without Spencer, and contributed to him missing being in the field; be he also couldn’t deny enjoying being able to come home to Jack every night, picking him up from school, and going to every soccer practice. He had even agreed to coach the team again.   
***************************************************************************************************  
Morgan, Lopes, and Cooper left Aaron’s office and traveled down the hall. He turned down the volume on his hearing aid, so that he wouldn’t overhear their conversation. He was pretty sure they didn’t want him to hear it.

“Has he always been such a hard ass?” Lopes complained to Morgan. 

“Hell yeah,” Morgan answered. “I told him to his face he was a Drill Sergeant.”

“Not even Strauss was such a nitpick. Jesus Christ!” She blasphemed, then crossed herself.

Cooper kept his opinion to himself. He had known Aaron for longer than any of them, and he wasn’t surprised by all the extra demands. After all, he had been in the field, unlike Strauss and knew how things worked. Morgan probably rightfully felt that he was getting it extra hard, due to his taking Aaron’s place in his old unit and Hotch not wanting to show favoritism. 

Morgan plopped down in a chair in the roundtable room. They had a local case, a hostage situation in DC. It was the third one in a month. The UnSub had gotten away with it. He seemed to get off on making the hostages have sex with each other and would kill them if they didn’t comply. Then he would auction off the tapes on the web.

“More Hotchner's highlights?” Rossi joked.

“Something like that,” Morgan groused. “Hey pretty boy, can’t you talk to him? Tell him to lay off or something. I can do my damn job!”

“Why me?” Reid demanded. “Why can’t you just tell him yourself?”

“Well since you two are so ‘close’ then I thought you wouldn’t mind mentioning it to him.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You know what? Never mind. We have a case. Baby Girl, what you got?”

*****************************************************************************************************

That next evening, Spencer and Aaron were having dinner, and Aaron noticed that Spencer was distracted.

“Spencer is something wrong?” Aaron asked.

Spencer stiffened. “Look Aaron, I don’t want to talk about it.”

Aaron put down his fork. “Why not? Is something going on with the team? What is it?”

“Look Aaron, I’ll tell you like I told Morgan. If you have something to say, say it to him, not me. I’m not a messenger and I’m not your mole!”

Aaron was taken aback by Spencer’s tone. 

“Spencer, I...look, I saw that you were upset and I wanted to know why. I’m not trying to get information about the team. Morgan is doing a good job. I trust him.”

Spencer was careful to mask his expression. He didn’t want to give anything away.

The rest of their dinner was silent and filled with tension. Spencer left right after, and Aaron wasn’t sure if he would be back that night. 

His phone rang. Hoping it was Spencer, Aaron frowned slightly when he saw Morgan’s name on the ID. 

“Hotchner.”

“Hotch, we need to talk.”

“I’m at home. You can come by.”

Twenty minutes later, Morgan was in Hotch’s living room.

“Look Hotch, I know you’re section chief and all, but I’m just going to come out and say it. What the hell, man? Why are you being such a hard ass?”

“I thought I was always a hard ass, Morgan.”

“You know what I mean! Look at this!” Morgan pulled up the latest revision of the report he submitted. 

Aaron read over the report. He changed mindsets, trying to see it from Morgan’s point of view. He was shocked at the nitpicks of the report. If Strauss had dared criticize him on these reports then he would certainly given her a piece of his mind and politely told her where to stick her ‘tips’.

“Look Hotch, I’m not going for this. I won’t be micromanaged by you. I know how to do this job. I’ve done it before, or have you forgotten?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Hotch responded stiffly. He hated to be reminded of that time in his life, his stress, PTSD, and recklessness that almost cost him his job, team, and his respect. 

“I’m serious Hotch, I’m not here to profile you but I can clearly see what’s going on.”

Hotch glared at Derek, who wouldn’t back down. It was true, Derek saw right through him. He was so anxious to prove that he was still as badass as ever, despite being sidelined to his hearing that he was trying hard, a little too hard by alienating his teams. Dammit. No one liked an asshole with something to prove. He had become something that he despised, and would have certainly put anyone in their place that questioned his leadership.  
“Morgan,” he began. “I am aware that you are perfectly capable of leading the unit. I would not have promoted you or reccomended you for the Lopes’s current position if I didn’t. I’ll keep that in mind from now on.”

Morgan nodded. He knew he wasn’t going to get an apology and he didn’t expect one. As long as Aaron let him run the Unit without micromanaging him they would be fine. 

A key in the lock and the door opening caused both men to turn to see Spencer entering the apartment. 

“Aaron I’m...Morgan,” Spencer paused.

“Hey Pretty Boy,” although Mogan studied Spencer’s suitcase, larger than his usual go bag and definitely packed for an overnight stay he didn’t comment. Instead, he prepared to leave.

“Well I’m out. See you Hotch, Pretty Boy,” he nodded at Spencer and left. 

“Aaron-”

“Spencer-”

“Aaron, I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m just sick of everyone looking to me to be the mediator instead of coming directly to you.”

Aaron pulled his lover to him, laying kisses along his temple. “I know Spencer. Apparently, I’ve been a bit of a pill since I took this job, even more than usual. I know a unit chief has to be able to trust his team for it to function properly. I promise you that I will never ask you about what is going on with the team. If I have a question, I’ll go directly to Morgan.”

“So no more ‘Hotchner’s Highlights’?” Spencer asked with a wink.

“I’ll try to keep them to a minimum.”

Later that night in bed, Spencer asked him how he felt about the new job.

“It’s definitely an adjustment,” Aaron responded. “I miss traveling with the team, and going out with you all for dinner or drinks. But I like it. It’s a lot more work, but less travel so easier to get done. Plus, I see Jack a lot more. I usually stay up for a few hours after he goes to bed if you aren’t home to finish paperwork.”

Spencer hung up on one word. “Home?”

Aaron pulled Spencer closer. “Yes, home, Spencer. I don’t get to see you as much as I used to; which is why I want you here when you aren’t on a case. In fact, I think it’s time we make it official.”

Spencer sat up in bed. “Aaron, what are you saying?”

“I want you to move in with me Spencer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like! Next up, how will Spencer respond to Aaron's request? We're coming to an end here, one more chapter and then the epilogue!


	12. Spencer's Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron convinces Spencer to move in with him.

Spencer did nothing to hide his surprise. “I didn’t think you were ready for that step. I mean we haven’t even…” Spencer trailed off.

 

Aaron caught his meaning. They had been together all this time and never had sex. Sure, they had done everything else. Oral sex, hand jobs, even a few steamy shower sessions but for some reason they just hadn’t completed that last step. It wasn’t that Aaron didn’t want to. He was embarrassed, he had no idea of what to do; and he absolutely refused to look it up online.

 

“Spencer it’s not because I haven’t wanted to. I just…” Aaron took a deep breath. “I’ve never been with a man before, not before you. I wouldn’t even know what to do.”

 

Spencer got this evil little smirk on his face. “Well if that was all, you could have just said something.”

 

“Really?” Aaron snorted and pulled Spencer on top of him. “And what would I have said? ‘Spencer, I love it when you suck my cock and lick my balls and I really want to fuck you but I don’t know what the hell I’m doing’.”

 

Spencer laughed at Aaron’s sarcasm. “Basically.”

 

“Yeah right. Like that was going to happen.”

 

“Well perhaps I’ll just go,” Spencer teased, moving to get out of the bed. “I can recommend a few books or websites-” he yelped when Aaron yanked him back into the bed.

 

“Oh no you don’t, Spencer Reid.” Aaron flipped him over so that he was on top, Spencer could see that Aaron had that hungry look in his eyes.

 

Aaron devoured Spencer’s mouth, groaning and grinding his erection against Spencer’s. Spencer responded eagerly; Aaron’s moves were frantic, ripping Spencer’s clothes from him to bite and caress his milky skin underneath. He wasn’t quite sure how Spencer managed to rid him of his clothes but soon he was laid out before his lover, completely naked, his chest heaving up and down and his cock twitching and dripping.

 

Spencer couldn’t resist he had to taste Aaron. He greedily took him in, suckling on the head and moaning, the vibrations from his throat sending waves of pleasure all through Aaron’s body.

 

“Spencer…” Aaron gasped.”If we are going to do this maybe you shouldn't...I’m not going to last long,” he panted. 

 

“Then watch me,” Spencer replied, his voice husky. “Watch me prepare myself, and then watch me slide down your cock.

 

“Spencerrrr…” Aarong groaned. “Stop talking like that,” Aaron whined.

 

"Watch, Aaron," Spencer said. He warmed some of the lube on his hands and then reached around and slid two fingers into his ass, pausing only for a moment to adjust to the angle rather than the penetration. Aaron’s  eyes were glued to Spencer’s hand as he started to move and stretch his body getting ready for his cock. After a couple of minutes he pulled his fingers out, added more lube and slid three fingers back in, moaning at the sensation and telling Aaron  how good he would feel in his ass. 

 

“Spencer, please now,” Aaron begged, his cock throbbing and twitching desperately. He gasped as Spencer lubed up his aching member, stroking his cock to get it nice and slick. Then he leaned in and kissed Aaron before sitting up and impaling himself on Aaron’s thick, long cock.

 

Aaron couldn’t even breathe as he felt himself sliding into Spencer’s hotness, inch by inch, slowly, slowly, slowly. 

 

“Spencer….” Aaron moaned. “So tight, so hot, so good….”

 

Spencer sank up and down slowly a few times before setting a firm pace, not too fast, not too slow.

 

“Aaron,” Spencer panted. “How do I feel Aaron? Do I feel good to you?”

 

“Yes, Spencer, fuck yes,” he answered while thrusting his hips up. “You feel so fucking good. Grab the headboard baby,” Aaron encouraged.

 

Spencer held on tight as Aaron gripped his hips hard, planted his feet on the bed and thrust up hard, slamming into Spencer so hard that his body would have flailed about like a rag doll if he hadn’t been holding on. He tilted back slightly and let out a scream as Aaron passed over his prostate over and over again. He came with a keening whine, spilling his seed all over Aaron’s chest, and collapsing forward. Aaron flipped Spencer on his back and pulled his thighs up, fucking his lover harder and faster, chasing his own climax. Everything was forgotten, their phones ringing, the bed banging against the wall, even Spencer’s comfort. The only thing that existed, that mattered to Aaron now was the huge orgasm that he felt building, pooling in his stomach and making his balls heavy.

 

“Mine,” he grunted. “You’re mine Spencer. You’re going to move in here and I’ll have your ass when I want. Isn’t that right Spencer? You want me fucking you every night? Every morning when you get up, sending you to work with a limp and a sore ass? You want that don’t you?” 

“Aaron,” Spencer moaned. “God, fuck me, fuck me please…”

 

Aaron plunged in once more, painting Spencer’s insides with his seed, his cock pulsing, and his balls tightening while he called out Spencer’s name.  Afterward, he gasped for air, feeling as if he couldn’t get enough. He slumped down next to Spencer, pulling a comforter over them as they lay at the foot of the bed. 

 

“Spencer,” Aaron whispered hoarsely. “You never answered my question.”

 

“Well Aaron,” Spencer whispered back. “If you promise to fuck me like that every night then I might be persuaded to move in.”

 

“Spencer,” Aaron chuckled, rolling over and pulling Spencer onto his sticky chest. “I’m an old man, I can’t keep up with you.”

 

“No Aaron, you’ve got it backwards,” Spencer said, planting a kiss on his lover’s lips. “It’s me that will have a problem keeping up with you. Now let’s shower before we get stuck together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the famous love scene. I hope I didn't disappoint! One more chapter!


	13. Newsletter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Its been three years since Aaron was promoted to Bureau Chief and Spencer moved in. What's going on with them now? Read the FBI Newsletter and find out!

**Three Years Later**

_**From the FBI Newsletter** _

 

_Aaron Hotchner, formerly section chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, has been promoted to Director of the FBI.  Mateo Cruz has taken the position of section Chief._

_Director Hotchner has led a distinguished career in the Bureau. Formerly a United States Prosecutor, he joined the bureau and rose through the ranks quickly and steadily, eventually running a field office in Seattle and heading the S.W.A.T. team. Afterwards, he joined the BAU and worked with such distinguished agents such as David Rossi and the late Jason Gideon. He served as Unit Chief of the BAU for ten years before moving to Section Chief three years ago._

_Director Hotchner’s service to the FBI has not been without it’s costs. Eight years ago, a serial killer he was tracking murdered his ex-wife and mother of his son, Haley Brooks Hotchner.  Also, a bomb explosion in New York has left him almost completely deaf, he now uses a digital hearing aid in both ears to hear and he says his hearing is sharper than ever._

_In his free time, Director Hotchner coaches his son’s soccer team and competes in triathlons. He recently completed a half marathon for the Hearing Impaired, for which he has become and spokesperson and advocate.  He is a Newlywed, having married long time partner SSA Dr. Spencer Reid, Senior Profiler and second in command in one of the BAU’s domestic teams six months ago.  Please join us in congratulating both Director Hotchner and his new husband, Dr. Spencer Reid._

 

“Wow,” Spencer said, sitting the newsletter down. “They did a thorough job in your biography.”

 

“I’ll say,” Aaron agreed. “Wonder where they got all that information from? Probably Garcia.”

 

“Don’t complain,” Spencer chided gently. “Besides, it’s not like any of it isn’t true.”

 

“Well they did leave out one detail,” Aaron said, pulling his husband into his lap.

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yes, they left out the part where I’m the luckiest man in the world to have such a wonderful life partner and husband. I love you Spencer.”

 

“I  love you too Aaron.”

 

**End**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story! Thank you for reading!


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